


Spice, Sugar, Milk and Cream

by yoursuga



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Human, Connor is dorky and awkward but smooth sometimes, Feel-good, Fluff and Smut, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, North is a badass, North is onto the MarMon denial fest, Other characters make appearances as well!, Polyamory, Porn With Plot, They're all dorks, smut is marked and skippable if it's not your thing, some drama, there are many lewds I write for the peehole, this is a coffee shop au but it's honestly 95 percent feels and sex and 5 percent coffee, yall I yelled at the boys to get their shit together as I wrote this get ready
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-06-16 19:53:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 24,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15444606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yoursuga/pseuds/yoursuga
Summary: Markus and Simon are roommates, which turned into friends, which turned into a lot of cuddling and fucking "With No Strings Attached." While their life together is good, great even, they both long for a real relationship with all of the romance and all that jazz turned up to the max.They each meet a cute barista in a coffee shop named Connor, who is as smooth as he is awkward and endearingly dorky. And most importantly, he is Interested in the cute guys that keep chatting him up while at work.Now, when will they realize that they're both seeing the same Cute Barista who works shifts in two different coffee shops?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> oh my god, they were roommates
> 
> smut is marked by **Here there be porn / Here ends porn** in case that's the way you roll!

Two University students sharing an entirely okayly spacious apartment, each a year and a half into their studies riding smoothly and resting steadily on perfectly acceptable finances might sound great.

And honestly, it was.

Simon studied elementary and grade school level teaching, kept mostly to himself but came out of his shell with a wicked sense of humor when around people whom he liked. He was two years older than Markus, who studied fine arts, played the piano and carried a Polaroid camera everywhere he went.

Markus also dated their mutual friend North for two weeks when they first met. She then broke it off with a pat to his shoulder, saying he was very nice and all but she’d discovered a new direction to take. Markus had pouted about it for Too Long when Simon sat him down, and they had a heart to heart conversation as friends.

The blue and green eyed man was resting firmly on the belief that he didn’t understand women.

”Markus, not to reinforce stereotypes but I think you’re about as straight as that salted double caramel frappuccino I bet you order from mainstream overpriced chain coffee shops.” Simon had said from across the coffee table, each then staring at each other in silence from their love seats.

“I fucking love that frappuccino.”

Markus then came out as Pan to his father Carl, who promptly said it was about damn time.

They’d been friends for about five months when Markus asked if he could go down on Simon as they were half watching an old christmas themed romance film. Simon accepted without hesitation or surprise. 

Thus ensued the infamous MarMon fuck-with-no-strings-fest.

“That is so not a thing.” Markus grumbled, before shoving the straw of his frappuccino between his lips to avoid talking further to the rest of the table. With Simon to his left, North and her girlfriend Chloe sitting across from them and Josh taking up the end seat the booth at a nondescript mediocre café took a moment of silence.

“I should print t-shirts, I’m basically the founder.” North said, not looking up from where she was playing a game on her phone while Chloe watched with her head on her shoulder.

“I want one.” Josh announced and readily fist bumped the strawberry blonde. “I can confirm hanging out like this I definitely feel like a fifth wheel. Might as well be official.”

Simon smiled good naturedly while Markus groaned.

“Speaking of hanging out, you guys will need to find a new place soon.” Lucy, a waitress at the café spoke as she appeared to collect empty dishes and evidently, eavesdrop. “The Coffee Bean closes down after this weekend. Bankruptcy.” 

There was a sympathetic hum from the table.

“That’s too bad. This is the only place with good coffee that’s close by for all of us.” Simon commented.

“There are others, or we could start hanging out at Jericho instead.” North suggested, she frequented the bar and arcade hall often enough to be a regular that the staff greeted by name. 

They agreed that it sounded good, and changed their group chat’s name to the new location.

 

A common morning routine for Markus and Simon was waking up in one or the others’ bed, entangled limbs, sheets twisted around those limbs and way too hot during summer days. 

Simon’s bed was only just big enough for the two of them, so waking up to Simon’s alarm blaring at 7 on a Monday found them in such a situation. Markus made a grumbling whine and tightened his arms around Simon’s middle when he stretched to tap the alarm off on his phone, pressing his face and smushing his nose into the back of the other man’s neck. Simon huffed in reply.

“Markus it’s already way too warm and I need to get ready.” The blond squirmed, but Markus had the unfair advantage of strength and held on tighter. 

**Here there be porn**

Awake enough to give up sleep for the moment, Markus placed a lingering kiss on the side of Simon’s neck before parting his plush lips to suck on the skin. Cheekily, his hand drifted down the blond’s front to caress his soft dick. With satisfaction he felt it stir under his touch.

“Now that I’m awake I need a morning workout, feel like helping out?” Markus purred, Simon turned on his back, on the edge of falling off the bed to stare deadpan at the art student even as his cock filled out. 

“I will literally kick you off the bed if you say another awful porno line like that.”

“You watch porn, pure and good Simon? Scandalous.” A pillow was sacrificed to smack Markus in the face.

“You’re not getting in my ass again, I’m still sore.” Simon shuffled to lay towards the center of the bed as Markus threw a leg over the other’s hips to straddle him, smirking luxuriously as he’d won the morning sex debate.

“I’m all good for a switch if you are.” Waiting for Simon’s nod, Markus smirked as he reached for the lube and condoms haphazardly thrown onto the bedside table. 

After getting a good three finger stretch and a mess of lube over his taint and Simon’s hand, Markus lined his hole up with Simon’s slicked up, silicone clad dick and promptly sunk down without stalling. He leaned back and groaned, enjoying the stretch while Simon’s hands flew to grip his tight ass cheeks.

Wasting no time, the bronze skinned man started rocking his hips and bouncing on Simon, who readily encouraged his initiative with soft groans. Markus dragged his nails across the pale chest leaving faint red trails as he grabbed Simon’s shoulders and squeezed them for leverage as he sped up and rhythmically tightened his hot, wet channel around the cock inside him.

Simon made small aborted gasping sounds as Markus’ abs rippled with effort in his riding. As the younger started losing his rhythm, face going soft with building climax, Simon planted his feet on the bed and spread Markus’s legs wider in the process, allowing an inch deeper to sink in before pale and bronzed hips met in harsher, wet smacks.

Markus’s nails dug into his own thighs as he leaned back and tilted his hips, allowing Simon’s rock hard cock to brush over his sweet spot with every sharp thrust of his hips. He moaned open mouthed in bliss along with Simon who licked his palm and reached down to jerk Markus’s reddened, leaking dick as the peak approached.

As soon as Markus started spilling into his hand, Simon broke the pace to bury himself completely inside the other. With short, jabbing pushes directly to Markus’s prostate they rocked together for the handful of heartbeats that their orgasms were dragged out together.

Markus shuddered as he lifted off when the high leveled out, feeling his legs jelly like as he flopped half on top of Simon. There was a solid minute of just heavy breathing.

“I’m gonna need a shower. I’m so blaming you if I end up being late.” Simon scolded with absolutely no heat behind it. 

**Here ends porn**

Markus chuckled, readily flopping over onto his side when Simon pulled away to dispose of the condom and get up before afterglow set in completely and claimed him back for another twenty minutes lazing in bed.

“You’re the crazy one getting up before noon voluntarily in the summer when you have no classes.” Markus teased, muttering as his eyelids grew heavy again. Closing them to listen as Simon shuffled around the room gathering clothes and supplies for the day.

“It’s called being a productive person who sees the morning sun more than once a year and without a hangover.” Simon teased. “I’m meeting up with Traci B for a study session, we’re comparing our papers for next semester’s essay on children’s psychology.” 

“M’kay, have fun being a nerd. Thanks for the fuck, bro.” Markus raised a hand in what was supposed to be a wave but was more of a flop. 

“You’re welcome, dude.” Simon snorted and left his roommate to snore as he showered, dressed and left for the metro with his laptop in his tote bag.

 

Simon followed his phone’s gps to the destination Traci had sent him for their meetup. Only twenty minutes away from his and Markus’s apartment, a nondescript door with large glass panes sat under a nicely hand painted sign that read Archer’s Coffee in a two story, pale yellow condo. 

Pushing open the door, a bell jingled to the side to announce him. The interior was definitely more in the homey, book reading hipster-y kind of vibes. Mostly browns greeted him in wood floors, furniture and shelves. The wallpaper depicted books, jars of coffee beans and spices and other visually pleasing trinkets. Exposed light bulbs in glass jars hung from the ceiling to just above head height for the blond. All in all it was a well put together DIY styled kind of design. Markus would probably appreciate the aesthetic more than he could, and take some nice shots with his camera. He’d have to mention the place to him.

No sign of Traci yet, though he was a couple minutes early to their set time of 8:00.

“Oh, hello! Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in. Welcome to Archer’s!” A soft voice called out, pulling Simon’s attention to the bar and register. He felt a small leap in his chest as he met the chocolate brown eyes of a very cute young man. He carried a tall stack of paper mugs in each hand, skin a light pinkish hue spotted with freckles of varying sizes. Dark brown wavy hair highlighting honey brown, styled to the nines with the most perfect stray lock falling over his forehead in the front. 

Simon prided himself on making such observations in the amount of time that was considered a pause but not a painfully awkward one. He gave a soft smile in greeting.

“No worries, Hello yourself.” He stepped further inside, eyeing the menu which included a small variety of different blends of coffee, flavoured lattes, teas and milkshakes. There was also a selection of sandwiches and pastries. The barista swiftly put the paper cups in place behind the counter and swiped a cloth across the shiny surface of the bar and gave a small but pleasant, and adorable, smile his way.

“What can I get for you?” The brunet tilted his head a fraction which was just unfair, because even though Simon had already made up his mind he had to take a break to glance up again because he had to gather his wits to maintain 

“I think I’ll try the double Mocha latte and a cream cheese prosciutto di parma bagel.” He decided, and was almost floored by the way the barista smiled with his eyes, they twinkled god dammit.

“Good choices, I like chocolate too.” The way he said it was enthusiastic, as if it was an important announcement. Simon couldn’t be more thrilled to hear it. “It’ll just be a couple of minutes, feel free to get yourself comfortable and I’ll bring it out to you.” 

Simon sat himself down at a low coffee table flanked by two soft brown leather sofas at the back. He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Traci letting her know he was there. He booted up his laptop and pulled up the files he’d need, figuring he’d use his time efficiently even if his course mate had yet to arrive.

It was indeed only a couple minutes later that the barista came out from behind the register. With his full silhouette exposed, Simon appreciated his strong neck and shoulder line, while the rest of him was slim and long. Especially those legs. He was clad in casual dark blue jeans and a black t shirt with a somewhat faded red and yellow logo peaking out from behind the white apron with the shop’s name on it.

“Please enjoy, and don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything.” The barista smiled, and Simon thanked him politely. For a moment, Simon wondered if he’d said something other than what he thought he did because the brunet kept looking into his eyes with a soft upturn of his lips for several beats.

“Oh, uh. Excuse me.” The barista then stuttered as he blinked, averted his eyes and promptly turned around just as Simon caught his face colouring a hint of rose. 

“Ah, no problem.” He called out weakly in reply, eyes straying down as the other walked away. Tiny, but perky butt. Bless. The pants could stand to be a bit tighter.

Was it just him or had the barista been taking in his face during that awkward pause?

 

Ten minutes passed and Simon finished off his bagel. He sipped his mocha slowly, in between swirling the wooden stick that held a piece of chocolate to slowly melt into the drink. It was delicious.

He was just about to check his phone when it buzzed rapidly several times. The screen lit up and he caught Traci B’s name on the popup indicating waiting messages.

“I’m so sorry Simon! A situation came up and I have to get to my girlfriend. It’s really urgent I’m so sorry I wasted your time!!!”

He texted back that it was alright and that he understood it must be important. Wishing her and her girlfriend well.

There went his plans, not that he was truly upset about it. He considered going back home, but the morning rush would be in full swing now and the delay coupled with crammed metros wasn’t all that appealing. The coffee shop was nice and quiet, a good place to get some more work done on his papers without distractions. He went back to his files and enjoyed his mocha.

It was a full hour later that he found his drink was empty as he was about to take another sip. He was right in the middle of writing a column that he thought would be highly valuable to his work and didn’t want to risk losing his focus. He put the empty cup back down and resumed his fast paced typing.

He was startled out of his focus, just abut to finish off the paragraph when a ceramic mug was set down on the table in front of him. He followed the hand just letting it go up to the cute barista’s apologetic smile.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” He pushed the cup towards Simon who glanced at it in confusion. “Here, a plain coffee with soy milk on the house. I noticed you finished your mocha and you seemed so busy I figured I’d save you the time to order another one.” He finished off with a wink. 

A wink.

Unfair.

“Oh, um, thank you! That is very kind of you.” Simon accepted the generous gesture. The barista nodded and would probably have returned to his position by the bar if Simon didn’t speak up again. “Say, are you Archer?” He figured it was as good a conversation starter as any. Big doe eyes glanced back at him curiously.

“My name is Connor, my friend owns this place, her last name is Archer” He said and beamed as he turned and offered his hand, which Simon shook readily. The name suited him, he thought.

“I’m Simon, are you allowed to sit down?” Smooth. Connor hesitated a moment.

“I’ll have to leave if other customers come in, but there are no regulations keeping me from chatting up the pretty ones, no.” Never mind. That was Actually Smooth. Simon felt his face flush.

The conversation he then had with Connor was pleasant. He learned that Connor was three years younger than himself, lived with his father, and wanted to study criminology once he’d earned enough money to keep himself afloat. He had a handsome, diamond shaped face and strong jawline, skin free of blemishes with freckles dusted here and there. He had dark eyelashes that framed his beautiful eyes perfectly. He was also very observant, being able to guess that he’d been planning to meet someone by his body language and then apologizing for having watched him from behind the bar, which Simon insinuated was more than alright. 

“Good to know.” Connor had said, with this tiny little smirk barely lifting the corner of his lips. They talked about Simon’s studies as well, though he was unable to forget that little smirk, the wink and those words. Simon was fucked. 

 

Packing his laptop and standing up had never felt like such a task, but around one in the afternoon Simon finally did so. He’d purchased more drinks from the barista than what was healthy or socially acceptable for one person in one day. Connor had been forced to cut their earlier conversation short when a couple more customers came in. It didn’t seem like the place was that busy around that time of day, or perhaps it was new enough that it didn’t have loyal customers yet. Either way, Simon stopped by the register on his way out and exchanged a thanks for the drinks and conversation. Connor smiled warmly and replied that he should come back again soon. Simon agreed, before leaving the quaint shop behind.

As he stepped off the metro and started the short walk back to his and Markus’s apartment, he wondered if he shouldn’t have asked Connor for his number right off the bat.

 

Markus had dragged himself out of bed just after noon and took a quick shower to rid himself of the smell of sweat and sex. He pulled the sheets off Simon’s bed and started a load of laundry because he was a decent roommate like that. He then had a handful of cheez its for breakfast because he was still a 25 year old on the verge of not being able to get away with that much longer.

He trudged through the apartment completely naked, until he pulled on a pair of loose grey sweatpants and grabbed his phone as well as a pack of cigarettes and went out to the tiny balcony connected to the living room. He sat himself down on one of the two stools and lit up, content to watch the rooftops and sky in front of him for a moment as he enjoyed his first few drags of nicotine packed smoke.

He leaned back and rubbed a hand over his forehead, then snatching his phone up and unlocking the screen. Markus was quite popular on social medias, at least Instagram and twitter where he posted both pictures and previews of his art as well as photography when he felt like it. Sitting pretty at a couple tens of thousands of followers, he scrolled through a plethora of notifications. Once his cigarette burned low and DM’s were checked and cleansed, he exited to home screen.

One of the icons was a dating app he’d installed a week prior, before forgetting about it altogether before even making his account. It was a spur of the moment thing, he didn’t really think he’d meet anyone interesting through the damn thing, a one night stand at best.

He heard the door to their apartment open and stubbed out the butt of his cigarette in the ash tray by his feet. He successfully pouted his way to a very cheesy show marathon with shoulder rubs from Simon who endured it like a champ on the condition that Markus get them thai takeout for dinner.

So hours later, having gone through a whole season of a show that Simon couldn’t remember the name of but now knew the theme by heart, found them reclined on a single loveseat. Markus sitting back with his legs spread while Simon laid across his lap, using his shoulder as a head rest. They ate out of plastic containers containing steamed vegetables, pork, noodles, rice and green curry, sharing shrimp chips between them as they half watched the show but talked more as they lost interest. 

“She just told you last minute she wasn’t gonna come?” Markus asked, finishing off the last of his food and snatching the piece of pork that Simon was about to eat, ignoring his noise of indignation at the theft.

“It wasn’t like that. Something urgent came up with Tracey, I didn’t pry because it’s none of my business unless she chooses to share without me prodding her.” Simon clarified, eyes falling half-shut as he grew sleepier.

“What did you do all morning then? Bird watch the mangy pigeons, stand around with your eyes closed?” Markus asked and oofed at the jab of fingers in between his ribs.

“Actually, I decided to study by myself at this cafe with a really cute barista.” The blond said, a self satisfied smile appearing on his lips. 

“Ooo, did you make a move?” Markus faux whispered as if they were sharing a secret conspiracy.

“Actually, yes. We talked for a bit about things. I tried to flirt but I think he beat me at it. I’ll have to go back and check.” 

“Look at you! The incurable Mom friend has a fun side after all!” Markus cooed, grabbing the last shrimp chip and holding it between his lips.

“Markus, you’ve literally stayed at home all day dressed only in your sweatpants.” Simon scoffed and leaned up to bite off half of the crisp treat. Markus relented with a shrug.

When Simon finally fell asleep, Markus found himself drifting off slowly as well. He felt a twinge in his chest at the thought of Simon having found a subject for his affections. He frowned in frustration as he analyzed their earlier exchange.

He must be a bit jealous that Simon might be finding a real, emotionally involved relationship. Picking up his phone careful not to disturb the sleeping man, he downloaded the latest patch for the dating app. Maybe he should go outside tomorrow, he thought as he set up his profile. 

The tv shut off automatically after another thirty minutes of inactivity, Markus let it as his phone still had his full attention. Face bathed in the blueish light of the small screen, Markus checked out the functions of DBH, short for Detroit: Be Homo. It was as exactly as cringe worthy as it sounded.

Though it quickly turned out most people on the app were there solely there for hookups, a few profiles did include more information than their measurements and sometimes, okay mostly, offensive preferences. Swiping through profiles swiftly Markus killed off a good amount of time, matching and un-matching people who either came onto him way too hard or asked uncomfortable questions. A couple individuals claimed to be big fans of his artwork, which he suspected was because they connected his last name and occupation to his father and wanted a ticket to a rich kids’ pockets. 

Well, he was hardly disappointed as he hadn’t set his bar of expectations far above the ground to start with. He was about to give up and give in to sleep as his eyes grew tired, when one last profile caught his attention. 

The screen name iLikeDogs was endearing enough as long as it didn’t have some weird meaning Markus wasn’t aware of. This was settled as he actually read the profile’s bio; I actually mean the animal canines and nothing else that I couldn’t tell to my father’s face, now you know! Now he knew.

Male, 21 years old, gay and looking for lasting relationships sounded good in his books. Not to mention the guy’s profile picture was cute as hell. A somewhat shaky photo taken by someone who had evidently held their finger over the very lower left part of the camera, a total twink with stylishly messy dark brown wavy hair and warm oak hued eyes framed by long eyelashes and a pair of thick black rimmed glasses smiled widely at the camera showing even, white teeth. The glasses were pushed askew by the big dog that was being hugged by the cute brunet, face pressing against the side of the dog’s big furry head, tongue lolling out with some visible drool in a matching smile with less teeth and more dog grade excitement.

The next photo was a more traditional portrait with the same cute guy looking off to the right with the hint of a smile on his slightly parted lips. This time, the glasses were nowhere to be seen, showing his naked face, which was very pretty. Markus found this one very pretty, okay. The picture cut off at the tops of the shoulders, but there was a hint of a suit. Nice.

Skimming through the profile again Markus saw he had chosen to leave relatively little but concise information about himself. He lived in Detroit, had a job though no specification was provided, and listened to Knights of the Black Death and Iron Maiden. Markus raised a brow. He didn’t exactly look like the type for what sounded like heavy metal music.

He swiped to indicate he liked the man, to be pleasantly surprised when the popup indicated the other had already liked him. Opening up the matched chat, Markus saw that iLikeDogs was currently offline. He figured he might wait and send a message in the morning. He put the device down, and gently shifted Simon so he could lean back further and doze off somewhat comfortably.

 

The next day Simon left equally early as the one prior as he got called in for his part time job as a baby sitter. Waking up by himself still huddled on the love seat with a blanket tucked over him courtesy of his roommate, Markus groaned as he stretched from deep in his core, feeling a crick in his neck from the less than ergonomic position he’d been in for hours.

The time was only ten in the morning but he figured he might as well get himself up without falling into bed, and do a short workout routine while he had the motivation and opportunity. He stretched and pulled himself into some intermediate yoga poses for flexibility before committing to some planks, burpees, push ups and squats until sweat dripped from his forehead and he panted like a dog in the summer heat. He flopped over onto the carpet, where he remained for a few minutes before dragging himself to a refreshing, cool shower.

 

He decided to go out once he’d dressed in soft black cotton pants with a low crotch, a v neck brownish green t-shirt and his signature tan jacket with short sleeves and billowing square tails, lovingly nicknamed his ‘Hobo Jesus’ cape. He quickly dipped into his room to grab his keys and polaroid camera slung across his body with a rem displaying the pansexual colors. 

Stepping foot downtown, Markus wandered through the park with children playing, dogs running around and the caretakers of both mildly panicking. Crossing the street, to the plaza, he stopped briefly to listen to the guitarist strum and hum. His cardboard sign of ‘real music with soul for 1$’ was a bit pretentious, but Markus still dropped a bill. Artistic solidarity, or whatever.

Somewhat disappointed with his lack of new subjects to photograph around the plaza outside a puddle of water which when at the right angle upside down created a nice, surrealistic image. Markus stopped by Bellini Paints as he passed, picking up two tubes of white and black acrylics as he’d need more of them in the next month anyway.

Having spent only twenty minutes before he was decidedly bored and considered calling up the Jericho chat to see if anyone was up to meet, the reflection of shiny glass on the exterior of his favourite main stream chain coffee shop caught his mismatched eyes. 

Coffee. With a disgusting amount of sugar, artificial flavoring, ice and cream. Yes.

Inside there was the bustle of a decent number of customers, a line formed along the countertop leading to the register and bar section. The couple of armchair seats with an accompanying round table were busy, leaving the long tables with bar stools lining the glass windows as the only option of seats. 

It was impersonal and clinical in back and white, and the prices ridiculous. But Markus had a need and that need was a goddamn frappuccino.

Three baristas were working the busy registers, while four bustled around the cramped bar to throw drinks and plates of pre made foods and sweets. As his turn to order came up, Markus blinked at the profile of the furthermost register worker. He was most definitely familiar.

When the BarShucks employee turned his head to glance at something behind Markus, it clicked. The warm brown eyes and dark brown wavy hair, even the lock that fell into his forehead was exactly as his profile picture. He was soon stood before iLikeDogs, who though he smiled as he greeted him as a customer, looked decidedly more bored than in his pictures.

He had figured it was face tune, but his skin really was that smooth. Oh. Right. He was staring and iLikeDogs blinked at him. He should use his mouth to say something containing words.

“So, is that Saint Bernard your dog?” 

FUCK, NOT THAT, THOUGH!

iLikeDogs’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and Markus could see him thinking who the hell was this stalker sounding person? Then another moment passed in which Markus considered bolting or manually sinking into the floor. But then iLikeDogs snapped his fingers and pointed at him with a smile.

“Oh, you’re MarFred! I thought you were either a very lucky guesser or a stalker for a second there!” Bless this man, his voice was as cute as his appearance. Markus knew his complexion, while toasty, was not nearly dark enough to cover the blush that exploded across his face and neck. And ears.

“Yeah, I could have definitely opened this up better.” Markus said with a painful smile. iLikeDogs laughs, and Markus dies a little on the spot. He has a shallow dimple on the right side of his mouth. 

A coughing sound made the barista glance over his shoulder, where an older man wearing the same green apron displaying the BarShucks logo peeked his head out of the door leading to the back room. A meaningful look crossed his face directed towards iLikeDogs, who straightened up and turned back to Markus with a more calm, professional smile.

“We’ll have to pick this up again when I’m off the clock at 7 tonight. What will it be, sir?” He asked sweetly. He didn’t seem to judge as Markus ordered his sugar bomb, which was nice. 

As the brunet put his payment through, he asked for a name to put on the plastic cup.

“Markus, with a K.” Markus supplied, and didn’t think too much further about the secretive, mischievous smirk that flashed on the other’s lips as he sat himself down on a bar stool by the window.

With his eyes trained on whatever passed outside the big display style windows, Markus waited. idly. What were the odds of bumping into someone you’d matched with on a dating app the night prior, on the very same day you’d downloaded the app? It had completely slipped his mind to message him, which might have saved him their awkward first encounter. 

A few minutes passed until a female voice called out hesitatingly

“Salted double caramel frappuccino for… Karkus?” Markus turned to look over his shoulder with furrowed brows. What…?

iLlikeDogs caught his questioning look from behind the register and smirked with a goddamn wink. Markus snorted softly and got his drink, a nod in the brunet’s direction as he conceded to the prank. 

Cute and funny, a very good start. Reminded him a bit of Simon.

He left the BarShucks twenty minutes later with a Polaroid shot of his drink on a wooden tabletop with yellow tinted back lighting courtesy of the afternoon sun, Karkus written in bold black sharpie visible. It would go nicely onto his feed.

He waved his phone at iLikeDogs as he passed by the register on the way out with a Thanks and Talk to you later? The Barista nodded and called out a cheerful Come again.

Later that same day, Markus’ phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced up at North who was on the love seat across from him and Simon, focused of the tv with a bored look on her face, the 102nd episode of Hotel Hell reflected in her half opened eyes. Simon shifted where he was seated on the floor between Markus’ legs, his back turned against him and head pillowed against his thigh. 

Markus took one hand away from where he was scratching his nails along the blond’s scalp to fish out his phone. Simon made a noise of protest so he made sure to keep petting him extra with his free hand.

“Is it okay if I nickname you Karkus?” A message from iLikeDogs. Markus felt his mouth pull into a smirk.

“I guess that’s what we’re doing now since I can’t stop you. Do you have a name, mystery coffee maker man?” He included a winking emoji before he could regret it, seeing the indicator of iLikeDogs typing a reply pop up not long after.

“I do like that title, but my name is Connor.” Connor. It suited him well, thinking back to the way his delicate but handsome features pulled into a mischievous smile, deep brown eyes twinkling as he winked at him.

Simon fell asleep with his head pillowed against Markus’s hand which was pinned against his thigh, half embracing his calf, also effectively trapping him in place. It didn’t bother him, as he kept chatting with Connor about how their everyday life went, Markus’s artistic endeavors and Connor’s uncanny interest in Heavy Metal music.

“It’s full of energy,” Was what Connor used as an explanation when Markus inquired about it, saying he was way too cute and preppy looking for such a thing. That earned him a grumpy frowning emoji, claiming that they hadn’t exactly met in the most casual and dress free setting. Markus relented and suggested they meet in a better, more personal setting.

And so, he had a date scheduled for the weekend.

“What are you smiling like an idiot about?” He looked up, caught off guard by North’s voice cutting through his happy daze. She was looking at him with interest, curiosity waving any drowsiness away. When he um-ed and said “Nothing”, She got up from her seat, moving over despite his warnings when seeing the mischief growing in her eyes.

North easily snatched his phone away once she was close enough, what with Simon trapping Markus in place and his one free arm’s reach limited with the intent to not disturb the sleeping blond.

“North, give it back!” He whisper-yelled to an evil snicker from the amber haired woman. She sat on the edge of the love seat and let herself fall back, letting her beanie clad head lean on his free thigh. She was still holding his phone just out of reach.

“That app is such trash, why do you even have it?” She asked, finally allowing him to take it back. He huffed.

“You would only know it’s trash if you’ve used it, no?” He harrumphed, allowing her to poke his cheek with a trimmed nail.

“I’m pretty sure it has that reputation regardless, but you right.” She relented. 

“What are you two bickering about now?” Simon’s sleepy voice mumbled as he shifted, rubbing his eyes in a fashion way too endearing for a fully grown man. Markus shook the feeling back into his newly freed hand, letting it find its’ way to the blond’s neck instead and squeezing at the somewhat tense muscles.

“Markus has the most disturbing search history on his phone, I wouldn’t recommend looking at it.” North caught the hand about to noogie her without missing a beat. Simon raised a brow at Markus without saying anything.

“Oh fuck off it’s not true, you two always team up on me.” The bronze skinned man grumbled.

North stayed for a while longer, until it was just late enough that you could still call it night but morning was just as valid. Simon had said his goodbye and gone to sleep in his own bed an hour prior, claiming he needed to get up early once again and it was already way late for him to get a good rest. She refused the offer to stay the night in Markus’s beds while he and Simon shared the other, claiming she’d rather get home to Chloe.

She stopped him in his tracks by the door as she was just about to leave, a serious look on her face.

“If you’re going to be seeing someone else seriously, I want you to think about what you’re doing with Simon.” She told him sincerely. 

“Simon’s one of my best friends, I wouldn’t hurt him in any way.” Markus claimed, somewhat confused what she was getting at. They were just friends with benefits in the end, even if the friendship was a very close one.

She rolled her eyes, pulling him into a one armed hug.

“You’re both my idiots who I care about a lot, just keep it in mind Simon’s also my baby and I’ll kick your ass.” 

She left after that, cryptic as she’d never been before, in his experience. Markus still didn’t understand.

 

Simon woke before his alarm that Thursday morning, shutting it off as he checked the time and stretched out lazily. He was alone in bed, which was an increasingly more uncommon experience as his clingy, casual sex filled friendship with Markus had developed over time.

At least he could stretch out his limbs properly and turn as he wanted without pushing a whiny, sleepy Markus off of the bed. He dismissed the clenching feeling in his chest as he sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed.

An hour later, he pushed open the door to Archer’s Coffee.

“Hello, and welcome to Archer’s!” A feminine voice called out, and Simon met the blue eyes of a petite, raven haired woman behind the register. A small pang of disappointment. No Connor.

“Ah Hello, you are the one who is actually named Archer, then?” He greeted hesitatingly as he stood in front of her bar, seeing a brief look of surprise of the other’s face. Then she lit up.

“Oh, you’re the one Connor was talking about!” She snapped her fingers, and smiled again more familiarly, showing teeth. “I go by Kara, though.” He shook her hand when it was offered, repeating his own name. 

Connor had talked about him.

Simon was so gay.

“Connor is actually coming in soon if you were looking forward to seeing him again today. Would you prefer to order now or sit down first and wait?” Kara asked, fiddling with her apron.

Simon blinked, somewhat at a loss.

“I can wait, then.” He finally decided, Kara confirming and starting to fiddle with ingredients and beverage machines behind the counter while she struck up a conversation.

“Connor’s a very close friend to my family.” Kara bantered as she worked, Simon humming to show he was listening.

“He watches my daughter, Alice, sometimes. We live on the upper floor just up here.” She gestured towards the ceiling above. “Connor is such a nice guy. He’s helped me so much.” 

She went on to tell him about how Connor was a hard worker, intelligent and goofy in a series of short stories about their experiences together since they’d met in high school. It occurred to him that she might be trying to get him more interested in the man.

“Oh, here they come now!” Kara said as the door opened, and a huge dog came bumbling through on a leash, with wet paws and a young child clinging to it’s neck.

“Sumo, slow down!” Came the familiar voice of Connor before he stepped through the door and Simon’s gay heart melted a little. He had a somewhat stern expression on his face as he scolded the best, who sat back on its’ haunches and panted happily. Connor was wearing a blue hoodie with a soft peach pink hued shirt peeking out from underneath the slightly open zipper, dark blue jeans and black ankle boots with an inch and a half of heel to them. The little brown haired girl let go of the dog and ran around Simon and the register to hug Kara.

“Oh, Simon!” Connor finally took notice of him and beamed. He unleashed the dog before greeting Simon with a soft hug, which he readily returned and tried not to have a heart attack.

“It’s nice to see you again.” Simon smiled gently. Connor pulled back and called the dog again. 

“I hope you’re not afraid of Sumo. He’s big, but a big soft dunce.” Connor introduced as he knelt down and rubbed behind the furry ears. Simon offered a cautious hand to the best, who whiffed him and accepted a pat on the head.

“I’m not used to dogs, but he seems nice.” 

The child whom he assumed was Alice parted from clinging to Kara who directed her towards the back room behind the register, and rapid footsteps up a flight of stairs were heard. 

Kara brushed out the wrinkles on her apron and greeted another customer who just walked into the shop. As she started preparing another order, she called out to Connor.

“You can dry off Sumo upstairs and relax for a bit if you want. You can take Simon with you, as well.” She didn’t wait for an answer.

Connor’s eyes twinkled fondly as they turned to him, taking in his lack of computer with him and asked if he’d be okay with that or if he was busy. Simon had in truth been planning on chatting him up more anyway if he met him today, but consented to being whisked away for some more one on one with the cute barista.

They went behind the register, to the back room where a wooden door hid the set of stairs leading up to a modest living space. Connor greeted a big, bulky man being hugged by Alice, whose kind eyes turned to Simon as he was introduced by the brunet man.

“This is my friend Simon. And Simon, this is Luther and Alice.” 

He shook hands with Luther, who had a very firm grip to match his muscular build. He then knelt down to greet Alice, who was staying mostly behind Luther’s flank.

“Hello there, Alice, how old are you?” He asked calmly, with a gentle smile. 

Alice peeked a bit further out from behind cover, Simon’s harmless aura seemingly setting her a bit more at ease, though she still seemed shy.

“Alice, it would be impolite to ignore a question from Connor’s friend.” Luther chided softly, but did not move from being Alice’s cover. The little girl glanced up at him pleadingly before looking back to Simon.

“Eight.” She whispered before darting away to a room behind Luther, closing the door. Simon stood back up.

“It’s nothing personal. She’s been through a lot, she needs to feel safe.” Luther explained to Simon who nodded with a somber look. Connor touched the blond’s arm, Sumo whining from his seated position to the man’s left at having been ignored.

“I will check on her and go down to Kara, you two make yourselves comfortable.” Luther said and gave Sumo a firm affectionate pat before disappearing into the room Alice had escaped to. 

Connor gave him a half smile.

“I’m sure she’ll like you if you stick around, she grows to like anyone who’s nice.” Connor assured him.

They went on to dry off Sumo’s dirty paws with paper towels in the cramped kitchen. As they finished they sat on the floor and pampered the dog with pats, Sumo laying down happily with his big head in Connor’s lap, probably staining his blue jeans with drool.

Luther passed them by with Alice in his arms, going back down to the café.

Simon noted there wasn’t a lot of space for three people to be living up there, especially when one was as tall and broad as Luther whose black curls had only just missed brushing the tilted ceiling. The kitchen was clean but small and with only basic equipment aside from the electric kettle sitting on the bar top which served as a table in the absence of a proper dining table. 

Just behind them the living room was cramped with a worn faded dark green sofa with bedding folded over the back of it, insinuating it was someone’s sleeping place. A modestly sized television sat on the coffee table in lieu of a TV stand. The home was small, but decorated with pictures of the family and friends, with drawings presumably made by Alice pinned up here and there.

Simon looked back to Connor, who had been watching his profile as he looked around. The brunet smiled.

“They’re a very good family, Kara and Luther worked really hard to get this place. Most of their resources went to the coffee shop, the things up here is the efforts of their friends.” His smile was somewhat sad.

Simon understood.

“Alice is lucky to have caretakers like them, my blood related family isn’t in my life anymore, but found family is just as important if not more so.” He watched Connor’s face soften with understanding. The younger nodded.

“I told you I lived with my father before, but in truth Hank isn’t related to me at all and I met him just three years ago. But he’s been like a parent to me more than anyone else ever has.” Connor had a fond look on his face as he turned back to the dog in his lap, running his fingers over the velvet soft ears.

Simon found himself repeatedly looking longer than necessary at Connor as they kept talking about their experiences with friendships as family. The boy really was beautiful especially when he laughed and his dimples showed. Finally, after they’d spent a good forty minutes in Kara’s home, Connor stood and helped Simon from the floor as well.

“We should probably head back downstairs, I do have to make myself somewhat useful while I’m here.” He grinned, taking off his blue hoodie emblazoned with the DPD logo. Simon appreciated how the pink hued t-shirt underneath clung onto Connor’s slim torso and complimented his skin tone. The lettering and graphic print on its’ front caught his attention and he raised an eyebrow.

“Fresh avocado?”

“It’s fre sh ava ca doo!”

Simon stayed at the coffee shop for longer than he’d first intended, ordering a couple coffees to make up for his loitering about. Connor had cleaning duty and thus had time to chat more with the blond while Kara ran the register and another employee, a straw blond man with a scarred face made sure to serve the orders. Simon was glad the café seemed to be bringing in more business and doing well.

On finally parting for the day, Simon asked if he could have Connor’s number. The brunet had flushed and smiled happily as he sent himself a text from Simon’s phone. 

The hug goodbye turned into more of an embrace as Connor stood on tippy toes to lock his arms around Simon’s neck and the older man might have turned his face slightly into the soft brown locks smelling pleasantly of some deep herb scented product while having his arms around his back. Kara was watching with a pleased, cat-got-the-cream smile when Simon, face reddened to a cherry hue waved goodbye to her and Connor who also had a touch of pink on his cute face.

Markus looked at him with a questioning arch to his eyebrows later that evening when he audibly snorted at seeing the text Connor had sent from Simon’s phone was simply an avocado emoji followed by a wink. He saved the number as said emojis.

“Hey, Markus, are you seeing anyone?” Simon asked, looking up from where he was sprawled on a bean bag while the other man painted on a canvas stood against an easel in Markus’ messy room.

The artist seemed to ponder for a minute before he dipped his brush into paint and continued his craft as he answered.

“Not officially, I met someone yesterday who I’m planning to see again this weekend. I don’t know if it’s anything to brag about, though.”

“Except that they’re cute?” Simon teased. Markus huffed fondly.

“Yeah, he’s very cute.” He stuck a leg out and nudged Simon’s shin. “Why are you asking?”

“It just came to my mind today. No real reason.” He scrolled through pages of cat gifs to send to Connor in reply to the cute dog one he’d got a minute earlier. Markus put this palette and brush down and Simon let out a yelp when a sudden weight laid across his lap. Markus grinned and laid his head down on Simon’s shoulder, looking at the screen of his phone.

“You saved your boy toys name as emojis?” He asked and Simon made an indignant noise as he shut down the screen of his android.

“Don’t be a snoop.” He poked Markus nose, who threatened to bite with a snap of his teeth. “And calling someone a boy toy hasn’t been a thing. Ever.” 

“But he’s something in that general direction, then?” Markus asked, raising himself on his forearms on either side of Simon’s head, bringing a leg across the blond’s hips to straddle him. 

“We only met Monday, I wouldn't assume his intentions to be romantic just because we’ve talked and sent some animal pictures.” Simon hummed, dropping his phone in favor of framing Markus’s hips with his hands. Green and blue pools framed by lowered eyelids and wispy lashes crept closer.

“Hm, so I’m still allowed to suck your dick, then?” Markus’s eyes disappeared from Simon’s view when he tilted his head to mouth at the blond’s neck. Simon’s lips parted on a breath, fingers hooking in the belt loops or Markus’s pants and tugging his lips down flush against his own. 

“I’m agreeable.” He breathed out and saw Markus’s blown out pupils as the wetness and suction released from his throat, descending down his torso as he knelt on the floor.

**Here there be porn**

Markus took his sweet time taking Simon’s cock out and teasing him to full hardness with soft lingering kisses, small licks and light touches, getting the older man flushed and panting with want. Simon’s pupils nearly swallowed the aquamarine of his irises as he raised his head to glare weakly down at the other.

“I swear to god Markus if you don’t get on it with I’m taking back my agreem-ah!” He was cut off by his own exclamation of pleasure when Markus twisted his closed fist around the head and bit his hipbone firmly. 

Markus opted to keep his silence and placed more open mouthed kisses to the abused spot on the pale hip and skin trailing down to the now leaking and throbbing member in his hand. He ghosted his now puffy moist lips around the shaft’s base before reaching with his free hand to grasp Simon’s where it lay on his shoulder and placing it on the back of his own buzz cut head.

The blond took the hint and guided them into a position where the flushed head of his dick rested against Markus’s wet lips. He waited a beat, keeping eye contact with the other man who grew visibly impatient.

Then he firmly pushed the willing head of his best friend down and rolled his hips into the motion, effectively stuffing his cock into Markus’s throat in one go.

Markus had only a moment’s discomfort from the surprise move, then moaned in delight as he forced his muscles to relax. Simon tilted his head back, the vibration of vocal chords combined with the warmth and wet hugging his dick delightful enough to have even more blood rush from his head.

Markus angled his hips to grind his own growing hardness into Simon’s leg, gaining some control as he bobbed his head up and down the pale shaft even as Simon kept his hand on his bronzed head. At first the motions were slower and gentle, the younger man finding his rhythm and technique with soft huffs escaping Simon from the treatment.

Then Markus found his boldness and took over completely, Simon’s hand migrating from his scalp to grip his wrist where it lay near his hip, tilting his head back in euphoria. 

Simon’s mind was blissfully empty for a moment as he enjoyed Markus’s lip service, before taking a turn and wandering away. 

The harsh sucking noises as a head full of dark brown locks smelling like bergamot bobbed in his lap, pale pink lips stretched around his girth and more sinful moans in a dulcet tones escaping a pale, freckled throat which tightened around him on each upward stroke. Molten chocolate eyes like a force of nature gazing up at him from a boyish diamond shaped face.

Connor’s slick pharynx fluttering around him as Simon gasped out a warning that he’d come, Connor gripping his hips as he forced himself down with more vigor before being held in place by Simon’s hands on his shoulders.

Simon’s hips rutted up once, twice. Being careful not to squish Markus’s nose painfully against his pubic bone as he held him still while throbbing deep in his throat. 

Markus pulled up once Simon’s fluids stopped dribbling out of his spent dick which dropped from his mouth, his chin a mess of spit, lips puffy and red, eyes so dark they nearly swallowed the sight of his heterochromia. 

Simon swallowed and sucked in more breaths in the quiet moment.

Guilt twisted in his gut at the thought of using the sweet young man he’d just met as some fantasy trip for his own greedy pleasure. 

Especially when Markus was right there, fully willing to please as he shifted up and pressed his mouth to Simon’s and pushed his tongue into his mouth. Simon readily returned the heated kiss, his hand finding Markus’s hard between his legs, the warm skinned man grunting from the awaited touch. They kissed lazily while Markus hips ground into Simon’s palm for a few heartbeats before the blond pulled his lips free.

“Do you want to continue is the shower?” In reply, Markus’s abused lips pulled into a grin.

Having sex in the shower was as satisfying as it was mildly uncomfortable and potentially lethal. Simon gripped onto a muscular soft brown upper arm and hooked one arm to grip a shoulder for purchase. Markus had continued kissing him while he regained the strength in his legs from his earlier climax while he kissed his lips, neck and collarbones like he needed to in order to live.

One of Markus’s hands was planted against the pristine tiled wall of the shower, supporting both his own and in part Simon’s weight as his other disappeared between Simon’s legs where one pale limb raised in the air and found purchase on a deeper pigmented hip. He pushed a third finger into Simon’s hole, the previous two assisting in stretching out the taut muscular channel with copious amounts of oil based slick that wouldn’t wash away too quickly in the warm water steadily trickling from the shower head above.

Simon huffed and bared the flushed expanse of his neck his more for Markus’s ever busy mouth, plush lips and pearly teeth leaving marks all over the area presented like a gift.

Markus erection stood angry red and rubbing slick with wet against the pale man’s hip. Simon’s own dick was hardening again from his previous spend with Markus’s attentions, a gasp tearing from his vocal chords when the man’s fingers crooked inside him on the outward jerk and dragged over his prostate.

He turned his head to bite Markus’s earlobe and begged him to hurry up, already.

Markus fucked into Simon’s clenching ass with sharp, doggedly humps. He occasionally paused to drag the moment out when his own pleasure threatened to crest, jerking Simon’s dick and mouthing swallowing his whines.

Simon was so tight around his swollen cock, no matter how thoroughly he was opened up prior to the coupling. The blond gyrated his hips into Markus with a plead for more. He closed his eyes, pressing his forehead against the crook of Simon’s neck and let primal want speed his thrusting that sent the sound of skin slapping together to ring out over the rushing waters and heated moans.

As his brow creased with effort, he fucked harder. Behind his eyelids the thought of pale shoulders dotted with freckles appeared under his lips, the bruises appearing like maps between the dots as Connor moaned his name against his ear.

He shuddered hard, a full body shiver as his long awaited climax coiled and snapped in his belly. He came into Simon’s clutching heat, the blond spilling for the second time in an hour.

**Here ends the porn**

As they breathlessly laughed in the afterglow, staying very much in the same position while recovering, Markus mentally slapped himself for imagining the doe-eyed barista he’d recently been acquainted with in Simon’s place.

They cleaned up shortly and parted to sleep in their own respective bedrooms, unknowingly sharing the same thought in the dark night hour.

Where would the limit be to take physical distance from the other, should a pair of gentle brown eyes and a dimpled smile grow a bigger part in their lives?

 

Two days passed by largely uneventful in the ordinary fashion. Simon rose early to study, got called in for an afternoon of baby sitting on the Saturday and Markus had his nights occupied by a series of short term commissioned photo shoots when he wasn’t painting.

The Sunday morning rolled around, and Markus found himself waking up to the sound of repeated incoming messages. He blindly fumbled for the device and drowsily blinked to focus on the screen. Jericho and Connor with a dog emoji came up as recent senders. He slid his thumb across the screen to unlock and opened the messaging app.

North was heads-upping everyone that she expected perfect attendance at their weekly meetup. The message had been thumbs upped by Simon and Josh. He opened Connor’s text.

“Hello, sorry if it’s early I know you like to get up when most people take their lunch breaks.” “Okay I’ll wait.” “Actually nvm I’m impatient, I was wondering if you were still interested in going out today?” “Ok now I’ll wait.”

Markus smiled to himself. He and Connor had been chatting up a storm since they’d met. Connor was easy for him to talk to, not that he usually found it difficult to connect with people at least on a casually friendly level. Connor was cute, a little dorky and genuine through and through. 

He saw that the last message had come in only a few minutes ago.

“Consider me waited on” Peace hand emoji. He flicked over the Jericho chat again briefly before typing again to Connor. “I’m down for today, yeah. Anything in mind?” 

Connor replied swiftly. “I don’t really know any places aside from coffee shops LOL” “I feel like going somewhere fun with you tonight if that’s fine with you. You know of any good clubs?” 

Markus smiled with a raised eyebrow. Connor was full of contradictions to his goody-two-shoes appearance. Whether the front Markus had dubbed preppy twink held up, was to be proven tonight.

“Have you heard of the Eden Club?”

The extravagant nightclub had enough of a reputation to have touched the brunet’s ears, evidently. They decided on the time to meet up that night, and as Connor insinuated he’d need to leave to run an errand for his dad, Markus received an attached picture to the next message. 

There was Connor, with messy hair, black rimmed glasses framing his sleepy dark eyes, one of which was closed in a wink. His pink lips were pulled into a hint of a smile, the very tip of his tongue peeking out from the corner.

“Can’t wait to see you face to face again <3” The next message rang in, Markus having paused to take in the adorable photo. He saved it and set it as Connor’s new contact photo. He immediately received a reprimand for not even having a selfie as his profile photo and a demand he send one for Connor to use.

He took a few shots of himself before settling on one where he’d raised the phone to be above and slightly behind his head, giving him a nice angle to show off his face, chest and the hint of abdominal curves before the blanket thrown over his naked body blocked the view. His blue and hazel eye making sleepy soft eye contact with the camera’s lens. 

“Can’t wait to see that face again.” He followed it up with. He laughed at the message that dropped in shortly after.

“Unf.” Connor’s last word for the morning read.

He let the Jericho chat know he was busy with a date, and replied with a kiss emoji to North’s thumbs down.

The daylight hours couldn’t come to a close fast enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second and final chapter coming up soon! <3


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yALL I couldn't ask for more lovely feedback you are KILLING me with your comments last chapter <3 cuties the bunch of you! Life properly kicked my ass for a good almost two months and I've been on a complete drought when it comes to creativeness, I'm so sorry that it took so long to get this final chapter out there! All the lovely comments definitely helped me get back to it <3 <3 <3
> 
> There's a lot ahead and I tried to balance out the sexy, angsty and ridiculous I think I'm funny bits, so get ready this ride is going off!  
> It gets worse before it gets better you know how it is :3c

Simon entered Jericho with his tote bag on his shoulder, barely getting a step inside the door before he heard North’s voice cut through the chatter of visitors from the upper floor. He cut through the bar and dining area and went up the steps to where the arcade area occupied the space.

“Motherfucker!” North shouted and stomped her foot on the floor, her character losing one of its’ heart shaped life units. Chloe looked up and met Simon’s eyes from where she was plastered to North’s side, her hand in the darker blonde’s back pocket. She whispered something to North, who promptly looked up to him as well, and she immediately abandoned her game.

“Simon!” She shouted and sprinted straight towards him.

“North, wait, wait!” He tried to implore her to slow down but she just grinned and slammed into him full force, nearly knocking the air out of him as he was forced to take several steps back to avoid them both falling over. He laughed as he properly hugged her when they were steady on their feet.

“I can never decide if you’re attacking or hugging me.” He said fondly and felt North snort a lugh against where her face was smushed against his neck.

“Both. You’re right either way.”

They went back to the console where Chloe had taken over North’s run.

“What! How’d you get there so fast?” North demanded, squinting accusingly at her girlfriend. Chloe merely smiled secretively and kept playing as North hugged her from behind and watched over her shoulder. Simon sat on a stool belonging to another console, watching fondly.

Chloe finished with a score landing her in third place among the highest saved scores. North placed a loud smacking kiss on her cheek as the platinum blonde typed in the name **Clorth** to be saved. Simon grinned and congratulated her, as Josh finally arrived to join them.

“Sorry guys, classes ran late.” Josh apologized and readily returned the hug in greeting offered by Simon. North fist bumped him and Chloe politely shook his hand.

“Let’s get some nachos, I’m hungry.” North dragged them over to the bar area, shoving some money at Chloe and telling Josh to help her carry the food and drinks while she and Simon took a table for them.

Simon sat down with her at a table, ready for when her she faced him with a serious expression.

“How are you doing?” Was all she started with, and Simon found himself hesitating.

“I’m… good? Why wouldn’t I be?” He asked, hunching into himself slightly as clasping his hands.

“Markus isn’t here.” 

“I know, he said in the chat he had a date...” Oh. He huffed. “North, you know I don’t place any claims on him.” 

She gave him the most unimpressed look.

“And I’m just guessing neither of you have talked about it.” 

“Well maybe not... in depth. But there’s no reason to. And we’ve been busy for the last couple days anyway-”

Their discussion was cut off as Chloe plopped down next to North, pushing an overly large plate piled with cheesy chips and salsa. Josh set down drinks for the table and took his seat next to Simon.

North gave him a meaningful look, but allowed the conversation to sway into other directions.

 

Markus checked himself in his phone’s camera for the umpteenth time as he stood on the commuter train, his stop just minutes away now. He would be lying if he said he didn’t spend extra time preening in the mirror to make sure he was looking his best for his date with Connor. He’d dressed himself in a wine red asymmetrical v-necked shirt with short sleeves, a tawny trench coat covered him for the chillier night air once he arrived at the stop and stepped out.

Eden club was known for having been a shady strip club until the owners changed direction and made it just a nightclub where people could get frisky within reason of some public decency, but wilder than your average bar with a dance floor and strobe lights. The pounding music reached Markus even outside as he approached, taking notice of a guy pulling up behind him on a sleek white motorcycle. He glanced back, hoping it wasn’t some jackass looking for trouble.

He needn’t have worried as it turned out, when the black reflective glass of the helmet folded up to reveal familiar brown eyes squinting with a smile.

“Fancy meeting you here, Markus.” Connor greeted him, still balancing on his bike as he let the motor die down. 

“Likewise, you didn’t tell me you were a biker. Maybe there’s a little wild side in you after all.” Markus commented, non so subtly looking the other up and down. Black leather jacket, grey turtleneck with a loose ruffled collar and tight pants. Nice.

He got the distinct impression Connor might be sticking his tongue out at him for the half hearted glare and indignant noise he made before wheeling his ride along to park. Once Connor dismounted and locked the bike after taking off his helmet (and let it be known, he wore a beanie underneath that he looked unfairly cute in, almost a shame he took that off too) then pulled Markus into a familiar one armed hug.

Markus had to pause as Connor was pulling away, ruffling his fingers through the shorter man’s hair to fix the hat-flattened head he was sporting.

“There, all better.” Markus declared when the sweeping waves puffed up nicely and held their shape. He didn’t remove his fingers from the brunette's soft hair immediately, lingering for a breath as he looked down at Connor whose dusky gaze met him from under long lashes. A miniscule smile pulled at the corner of Connor's mouth and Markus felt himself mirroring it.

“Come on then, let’s not wait out here for the night to be over.” Markus reluctantly let the moment end, leading Connor into the Eden club instead.

Admittedly, the setting was perhaps not ideal for conversation. The music was so loud it was impossible to hear what the other was saying without raising their voices. At least they didn’t need to scream.

Markus suggested they get drinks first to which Connor readily agreed. They downed a couple overpriced glasses of rum mixed with soft drink each, chatting as best they could with the loud music and sounds of people shouting in excitement. 

“You look great, by the way.” Connor leaned in close to say, close enough Markus felt his breath on his face.

“Not as good as you.” He returned, delighted by the slightly embarrassed smile he got from the younger man. They were both divested of their coats, leaving them in the much more form fitting clothing underneath. Connor’s eyes seemed to often stray to Markus’s chest, which he just happened to know was well shown off in this particular shirt which hugged the shapely curves of his musculature right there.

“Are you a dancer?” Connor asked as a new song Markus recognized as one of the currently most popular came on, the dance floor area crowded but not packed.

“Sure, if you are.” He replied, and was promptly shoved in a North like fashion by Connor who seemed eager to get to the dancing.

They moved along with the rest of the crowd, near but not so much that they touched with every move to a start. Markus enjoyed letting loose with Connor, who seemed happily dazed in the pounding beat of the music, flickering strobe lights and occasional touches.

More people streamed to the dance floor as the music turned to another beat, the crowd bumping into the two men who neither minded. They continued dancing closer, now regularly brushing against each other, shooting coy looks whenever an accidental touch lingered longer than necessary.

At one point, Connor was shoved into Markus’ as someone behind his tripped. The random drunk girl apologized without looking before disappearing, Connor in no hurry to move away from where he had his hands splayed on Markus chest. They exchanged a heated look before Connor moved away with a small vixen like smirk, turning around to expose his back to Markus.

Even if the crowd thinned, neither took notice as they danced back to chest, near grinding most of the time and on the odd beat, actually grinding. Markus’s hands held Connor’s hips, who easily accepted the hold and even seemed to melt into it slightly.

Hours passed in the time it took them to dance, return to the bar for drinks and brief pauses to use the restrooms.

After the third repeat of the cycle, Markus felt the craving for a cigarette settle in and he leaned in close to Connor, brushing his lips against the shell of his ear so he’d hear him on the busy dance floor.

“I need a smoke, you want to come with me?”

Connor nodded, and they withdrew from the writhing groups and couples, Markus fetching their coats before waving Connor to follow him towards the exit.

The cool night air cleared Markus head up slightly almost instantly. The light drizzle had Connor tugging Markus over to where a small outcropping of the roof provided shelter.

“You go to these kinds of places often?” Connor asked as Markus pulled out his vice and fumbled for his lighter. They both leaned against the relatively grime free concrete wall, shoulders pressing together lightly.

“Well, not really. I grew up really sheltered by my dad so I didn’t really discover this life until he literally got tired of my uptightness and sent me and my friends here.” He smirked at the memory of Carl, at 64, telling him he needed to get out and go a little crazy, damn it! “I tend to prefer calmer settings with friends, though there are special occasions that call for some excitement.” He glanced meaningfully at Connor who lightly rolled his eyes.

Markus fished out his lighter and lit up, then as the first drag entered his lungs remember common courtesy.

“You want one? Or do you not smoke?” He offered, finishing his question by puffing out his lungful through the side of his mouth to dissipate away from Connor.

The other man smiled easily, stepping closer and with a playful _yoink_ plucked the cigarette from between Markus fingers. Markus passively let him take a drag, noticing the brunet having to focus to keep the smoke running smoothly into his lungs. Not a regular smoker then, at least.

“Occasionally.” Connor confirmed as he slowly let the nicotine haze out through his nose and lips simultaneously. 

Markus felt the same stirring as on the dance floor previously, a small heat flare in his belly, this time more calmly without the pounding music and flashing lights accompanied by Connor’s body rubbing up against his. But no less intense, or intriguing.

He guided Connor's hand back up, taking another drag from the cigarette still sitting between the shorter man’s fingers. Making deliberate eye contact as he inhaled another breath of vapor. If he read the heat behind Connor’s dark eyes right, he wasn’t alone in his state.

He shifted to face Connor and moved closer, letting his breath sit still in his chest. Connor’s eyes settled on his lips as his own mouth slackened, tugging at Markus sleeve which gave the duskier skinned man the permission he needed.

Their lips gently parted and dragged across each other as they closed and lazily repeated. Connor accepted the smoke as Markus slowly let it go, traveling from him to Connor. As they met again and again in increasingly less chaste kisses, the smoke dissipated.

Markus slid an arm around the small of Connor’s back, pulling him closer to press bodily against him when Connor’s arms closed about his own back, careful of the still lit cigarette in his grasp. Their kisses smacked wetly, tongues getting involved and getting them both shivering with the pleasant sensations of the wet muscles sliding against each other. 

Markus dragged the tip of his tongue over the roof of Connor’s mouth, feeling the other’s kiss the underside of his before he pulled back with a last teasing nip to the flushed pink bottom lip beneath his own.

Connor’s eyes were impossibly darker and sparkling brighter with arousal, sharing plan air in the breaths that intermingled while they lingered close enough to easily kiss again with little effort. Connor’s cheeks were decidedly flushed with a rosy hue, the misty air from the damp weather and street lights reflected on Connor’s pale face created a halo effect making him like to a piece of art.

“I dropped your cigarette.” Connor confessed with a husky voice, Markus chuckling.

“I can live with that.” 

Connor bit his lip and flickered his brown gaze between the dual hues of Markus’s.

“Would you like to come back to my place?”

The implication ignited the earlier spark in his belly into a steady, hot glow. For one second he thought about Simon and his rumored person of interest for some reason. Reasoning with himself that getting some intimacy with a new person would be a welcome change.

“Yeah, I’d like that.” He said instead of the small novella in his head. Their embrace ended reluctantly, Connor calling a cab to pick them up, insisting his bike would be fine over the night, probably. 

The self driving vehicle pulled up within a couple of minutes. The moment they settled into the back seats and the destination was set, they spent the entire twenty minute ride familiarizing themselves thoroughly with their lips, tongues and teeth. Connor straddled the lap of Markus, who had his hands stuffed into the tight pants’ back pockets feeling out his perky ass much to Connor’s moaned encouragement.

They shared a laugh when the taxi’s terminal binged for the third time that they had reached the destination and to exit, please.

“Anybody else home?” Markus kept his voice low, just in case as they stepped into the hallway. 

“No one but Sumo, conveniently my dad is out of town until tomorrow night.” Connor answered. They were nearly bowled over by the big dog who came to investigate the hushed voices of one of his humans and a stranger. Connor scolded Sumo gently even as he patted the dog’s head. Markus awkwardly let the giant (!) beast sniff his fingers. The dog lumbered obediently over to his space on the floor when told to.

Connor tugged Markus into his bedroom by the arm, pushing him back against it to push himself into his space again, eyes playful.

“Remind me, where were we?” He asked coyly, Markus grinning in reply as he cupped the shorter man’s ass again, pinching one cheek cheekily.

“My memory isn’t great, but I can use my hands to improvise.” 

Connor gave a startled laugh, hitching out a that was so bad! while Markus smiled, entirely happy with his bad lines.

Connor kissed him again to reignite the motions, his hands sliding up under Markus shirt and feeling his sculpted muscles with a pleased purr.

“Please say you have condoms.” The brunet exhaled against Markus’s lips.

“Always.” Markus replied in kind, retrieving his wallet from his pocket and fishing out the small plastic package.

**Here the be porn**

“Good, cause I want you to fuck me until I can’t walk straight.” Connor ended the sentence in a whine, slipping a leg over Markus’s hip as he rocked forward to grind their semis together. Markus agreed wholeheartedly.

They undressed in a blur, messing up Connor’s primly clean space as their clothes fell haphazardly on the neat floor. It was dark but for the moon and streetlights streaming in, only vague shapes making up the space’s furniture, not that Markus particularly cared as long as they located the bed. 

Connor’s back hit the mattress first, nudging himself up further to make room for Markus. The skin of their necks and collarbones were littered with the odd bruise from lips. Markus sucked on Connor’s collarbone as he fisted his firm dick, having lube pressed into his hand by the increasingly impatient younger man.

“Can I eat your ass?” Markus asked bluntly, receiving a deep blush.

“Thank fucking god he eats ass.” Connor mumbled weakly in reply, complying as Markus maneuvered him to sit on his knees near the side of the bed, legs spread in a smooth split, arching his back when Markus kissed the small of it from his new position on the floor, gripping Connor’s hips.

He gasped happily as a cooling trail of saliva followed the tongue trailing from that kiss, down the crack of his ass which was parted by two heated hands. He mewled loudly as the tongue flattened and dragged over his tight asshole.

Markus laved the furled muscle of Connor’s rim with several passes of his tongue, getting the area sufficiently coated with saliva to his liking. He put each thumb on either side of the entrance and pulled gently, shoving his tongue inside to a shocked but pleased cry.

Connor responded beautifully as he added his fingers to the mix, lubed up and slippery one fit inside like nothing alongside the wet muscle of his tongue. Connor urged him on and he relented, stretching the tight rim out on a second finger added swiftly as Connor ground back against the clever digits and mouth.

Markus scissored his fingers once Connor was relaxed enough to take the stretching, licking his tongue between to hook and tug at his rim teasingly, rewarded with a shaky cry. Another finger joined the mix, Connor stretching so smoothly he’d clearly had much experience using his ass before. Markus finger fucked him with purpose, feeling along the smooth walls of Connor’s silky channel before he crooked his fingers and had the other curse loudly as he hit the right spot.

When Connor was wet and stretched more than enough to take Markus cock which hung heavy and needy between his legs, Markus gave one last good scissoring motion and kissed at the rim as he withdrew. Connor relaxed the moment they were free, giving Markus the spark of mischief to hold the man’s hips, spread his yielding ass cheeks as he planted his soft lips over Connor’s hole and _sucked_ gently.

Connor quivered and arched with a beautiful cry at that, pressing back into Markus’ face and squishing his nose slightly.

“Fuck, Markus fuck me already.” He whined, needy, shifting up the bed and collapsing onto his chest, ass raised as he spread his own ass to present himself fully to his partner who felt a thrill at the submissive display. “Please fuck me.”

Well, he needn’t beg Markus twice, although a repeat wasn’t unwelcome either. He chuckled low in his chest as he jerked his dick, sheathed in latex and soon lubed up.

“Needy, aren’t you?” He cooed at Connor, lifting himself up onto the bed behind the other, taking his hands and pressing them into the small of the man’s back firmly but with every intention to let go should Connor tug at being restrained. He received only a mewl of approval as Connor wiggled his ass back against the bronzy hips. “Are you going to be good?” He rumbled.

“Yes! Yes, please give me your cock.” Connor sighed out when Markus lined himself up, still holding Connor’s arms hostage by one of his own. “Please scratch me, I’ll be good.” He begged softly, Markus eyebrows rising on his face. He hadn’t expected this little twink he’d met in a coffee shop to be kinky, but he certainly wasn’t one to complain about it.

He let go of Connor’s arms which dropped to tuck beneath his chest instead, sufficiently pinned by his own weight.

“What a good boy, are you ready?” He asked as he nudged his hips forward the slightest, letting his cock kiss Connor’s swollen and wet hole. A pleading, breathy _yes_ could be heard half muffled by the sheets. It would do.

He pushed in with one long, smooth thrust feeling no resistance but only Connor’s walls hugging him tightly, simultaneously raking both his hands’ short nails down Connor’s back, leaving small flushed trails behind. Connor moaned loudly, both by the welcome intrusion and the scratching sensation on his skin.

“Harder, please!” He begged breathlessly, even more so when a single, mean hard thrust knocked the breath right out of him.

“Or did you mean this?” Markus teased as he repeated the scratch, rougher this time leaving rapidly reddening trails. Connor cried out thankfully.

“Both! Both, please.” 

Markus grabbed onto the slender hips of the younger man roughly, letting his nails dig in just slightly as he used the grip for leverage. He started to piston his hips slow and steady, bottoming out with a firm jab every time, the hot, wet channel around him tightening greedily on every withdrawal. Connor was whining with little exhales every time the hot shaft bottomed out inside him.

“Fuck, fuck!” Connor shuddered, panting open mouthed against the sheets with a small furrow between his eyebrows. Markus noticed him hitching his hips back periodically, small smacks of his buttocks against bronze hips. As the brunet climbed higher towards his peak, Markus caught the weak “Wait, not yet not yet!” 

He gently slowed to a stop, halfway sheathed in the clutching heat of Connor’s rippling ass. 

“Are you okay?” Markus asked in a soft tone, earlier bravado toned down in concern.

“Peachy.” Connor panted out, swallowing before he continued.”I didn’t want to end it so early. I’m out of practice.” He confessed with a breathless laugh after a second of reeling himself in. Markus smiled, pulled the younger man up to support his upper body on his hands and leaned over to press a kiss between his shoulder blades, peppering a couple more in patterns following Connor’s beauty marks.

“Is it okay if we try something?” Markus asked, reaching below the other to tease a finger along his deeply red dick.

“Depends, what do you have in mind?” Connor curiously looked back at Markus over his shoulder.

 

He was very agreeable to the something, as it turns out. Connor remaining on his hands and knees, legs half folded beneath him with he balanced on his pinched together knees, thighs and ass all pressing together. Markus’s dick, while unable to bottom out entirely where he was buried in Connor’s ass, barely moving as their coupling was controlled by Connor thrusting back with sweet huffs as Markus simply held his waist and watched.

Markus purred from his chest when he leaned back and watched Connor work himself on his cock, the impact of his ass while his legs pressed together caused the excess flesh to jiggle beautifully on every rock and twist. 

“You should see how gorgeous you look like this.” He praised in a rumble and dug his thumbs into the muscles of Connor’s lower back. Connor gave a heated little glance back at him, sweat making pieces of his mussed up hair stick to his forehead.

Praise kink, absolute check. 

“Markus, please, I can’t anymore.” Connor pleaded as his thrusts faltered by the way he was twitching and clamping down involuntarily. Markus took pity and held himself back up to his knees, feeling Connor spread his legs wide again and angle his hips for optimal access.

Connor’s cries raised in pitch, collapsing down onto his elbows as he merely pressed back as Markus sped up his thrusts, the lewd sounds of lube bubbling out around Markus’ pumping shaft and slap of skin on skin ringing like a mantra. 

Connor’s tight channel clamped down, the brunet throwing his head back on a scream of Markus’ name when his pumping cock repeatedly jabbed directly into his prostate. Markus took pity and reached around to fist Connor’s throbbing cock, no sooner had he enclosed his fingers around the rigid flesh when Connor shivered hard and came.

Markus repeatedly kissed the skin of Connor’s neck and shoulders, biting down as he pulsed inside the younger man whose spasming hole gripped his dick one last time before he erupted inside the condom.

 

The disengage of parting at their connection came only after both collapsed onto the bed, Markus squishing Connor into the soiled mattress below, causing his to complain weakly. Markus chuckled mischievously and sucked one last purple mark into the side of Connor’s neck.

All in all, a solid effort. He’d rate it a strong seven out of ten.

**Here ends porn**

Markus finally rolled off Connor, taking off and tying the condom and reaching to deposit it in the conveniently placed bin next to the bedside table, resting easy for a few minutes on his back while Connor remained boneless on his stomach where he’d collapsed.

Markus poked Connor’s nose to check if he’d fallen asleep due to his closed eyes. One sleepy brown eye cracked open, followed by the other as Connor gently swatted his hand away.

“That was pretty good.” Connor commented, smirking with mirth as Markus scoffed with a repeat of his tone at the word _good_.

“I’ll have you know I get only top ratings from all the people I definitely sleep with a lot.” Markus assured. Not that Connor needed to know all the people referred to one specific blond roommate of his, whom he did in fact sleep with a lot. Not that he considered this a break of either liaison’s trust somehow. Connor was a cute guy, and funny. And seemed intelligent. But he didn’t know if it was going to turn into a thing, and honestly he’d rather not be faced with those thoughts while Simon’s face was still in his head.

“Hey, sorry if this is too forward, but how would you feel about making this a thing? Exclusive, all that stuff?” Connor queried.

Well, fuck. Guess it was time to be faced with those thoughts.

“Um- I’m.” He stuttered, feeling like he was caught with his pants down choosing between strawberry or chocolate ice cream. Weird analogy, but so was his racing thoughts. Connor didn’t press, merely watched him with those gentle puppy dog eyes.

Fuck. He did like Connor a lot. But as he thought about getting _exclusive_ , his chest tightened. He couldn’t have both Simon’s companionship and a romantic partner. He’d have to cut out one or the other, and it hurt. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I can do that right now.” He croaked out, and immediately felt like world’s biggest asshole as Connor’s face shifted just slightly in the direction of hurt, an apologetic smile that knocked any pleasant buzz remaining in Markus’ limbs right out.

“No, it’s okay.” Connor assured weakly, diverting his gaze. “We haven’t known each other that long. I didn’t mean to pressure you.” 

Markus choked on the bitterness closing in on his throat, keeping him from replying and he laid stiffly with his gaze trained strictly up at the ceiling. Connor shifted, pale limbs illuminated by the soft light streaming in.

“You can stay if you want, it’s all right. The couch is relatively free of dog hair if you prefer not to stay with me.” Connor offered, voice trailing off to a weak thing. Markus couldn’t take it.

“Thanks but, I think I should go.” He dissuaded. 

Gathering his clothes in the light provided by Connor's bedside lamp, Markus stiffly dressed himself and mumbled out another apology as he left the brunet, used and alone in his bed. 

The walk of shame had never hit him so hard.

Shame.

 

Simon noticed pretty quick that something was up with Markus the night he came home from his date, the blond greeting him in surprise as he hadn’t expected to see him at all. The younger man pressed out a short hello in turn, looking anywhere but at Simon and body language screaming _I’m very not comfortable right now_. 

They’d withdrawn from that awkward interaction, spending their night in separate rooms as they had done over the last few days. Even as the summer heat started to dwindle, the empty sheets next to them felt colder than they reasonably should.

Neither had experienced any trouble communicating with each other like this before, Markus tending to speak the moment he was feeling something and Simon usually more than willing to have them both sit down and talk through whatever the trouble was.

But this wall that had formed between them didn’t seem to have a clear beginning or end. Both men would exchange brief greetings whenever they met, a less than comfortable silence after that while they remained in the same room and then one or the other would find a reason to withdraw. 

Simon had his studies and occasional odd hour jobs. Markus found more excuses to leave, for his own studio, his father’s place, some cocktail party or simply disappearing out without a word.

Simon exchanged some messages with Connor as days passed into a week, noticing his friendly barista’s mood seemed to have gone a bit blue as well. Maybe it was just the incoming autumn blues. Connor expressed appreciation at his concern, but claimed it wasn’t really that big of a deal and he’d rather focus on other things. Simon didn’t find the time to visit Archer’s coffee shop on Connor’s hours, promising instead they’d meet up somewhere else when they both had the time.

Markus used the frustration he felt to fuel his painting while at his studio or Carl’s place, where he ended up more and more because maybe he was feeling the need for company just a little bit. He added another stroke of deep navy blue to his recently started acrylic piece. Blending into a patch of black and contrasting sharply with a bright blood red. The shape of the hand was coming together, and yet he felt another surge of frustration just looking at it and promptly smudged the crisp line he’d put down.

Carl came wheeling over as his son audibly cursed and put his palette and brush down just a little harder than necessary. Markus just stared down at the paint stained surface as Carl’s hand came to rest on his back.

“Whatever is bothering you Markus, I don’t think it seems the paint alone will help relieve you of it.” The old man soothed with a calm tone.

“I fucked up.” Markus said, and he knew Carl didn’t think he meant the painting either.

“So you know what you did wrong then, that’s the first step towards fixing it.”

“Are you two still talking about the fucking painting, because I’m confused.” Leo piped up from where he was laid out on a couch that had been moved into the studio since Leo had moved back in with Carl.

“Thanks, dad.” Markus managed with a smile, Carl’s face crinkling up into one of bright affection. “No Leo, you’re just an idiot.” He threw over to his half brother who sputtered, offended.

The messages from Connor still sat unopened since the day after the night that started so well but ended so badly. Markus felt nauseous with nerves as he finally opened them, secure in his bed at night with the lights turned off.

“Hey” “I just wanted to say sorry about last night” “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable or make any weird claims on you even though I guess that’s kind of what I did” “Anyway I feel like shit, hope you’re doing well. Sorry, again.”

Fuck, he felt like the biggest dick ever. The thing he’d wanted least was for Connor to think he’s done something wrong and was at fault, and here he was, thinking just that. He had to take a long pause and think about his words, they had to come out right. 

He finally typed it out as well as he could.

“First let me say I’m really sorry. It wasn’t actually your fault in the slightest, I just realized some things and I fucked it up with you so bad. I’m also sorry for being a dick and not saying anything until now, I’m garbage. You don’t have to forgive me or reply if you don’t want to, I just needed to make sure you know it’s all on me.”

To both his relief and horror, he got a reply very quickly.

“I don’t understand, but I’m glad you said something.” “I hope you’re doing better now, I’m still here if you want to talk.”

Markus replied with another thanks, but claimed to need some time to sort things out. It wasn’t supposed to feel so much as turning him down yet again.

 

Simon got to see Connor again after two whole weeks since they’d last been face to face in Archer’s. Stumbling on him as he crossed through a park on his way back home, out of all places. Sumo noticed him first as he approached, tugging on the leash Connor held in one hand and stumbling to keep his balance as he’d clearly been distracted. Simon couldn’t hold down a laugh.

Connor lit up as he noticed him, scolding Sumo to get down from where he was trying to jump on Simon and hugging the blond happily in greeting. Sumo got a satisfactory pat on the head.

The duo of young men sat themselves down on a bench, watching as Sumo amused himself with a couple other well behaved dogs, chasing falling leaves that had just started drifting down from the yellowing trees. Simon drifted to Connor every few heartbeats, god he was so cute in that beanie.

“Still having troubles?” Simon finally asked after some idle chatter about insignificant things. Connor seemed to deflate a little.

“I meant it when I said it was stupid.” He sighed, and continued at Simon’s encouraging. “I was seeing someone a while ago, didn’t entirely work out okay and I think I made it more of a big deal than it was.” He grumbled, finally stating he wasn’t good at emotions.

“Well whoever made you feel like that sounds like a douche bag.” Simon said, stroking a thumb over Connor’s coat clad back where he rested a supporting hand familiarly. 

“No, it’s not like that really. There was never any promises, I think maybe I’m just more desperate than I was aware of.” Connor hummed. “I think you’d have liked him actually, before the messy thing happened.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Simon relented, smiling with warmth at Connor who returned the expression.

A couple minutes passed by, and Simon was reminded of how a comfortable, companionable silence felt.

He made his decision.

“You know, if it’s company you want, and you wouldn’t mind spending a night getting wined and dined at a friend’s house, with no romantic or sexual obligations of course, my roommate’s out of the house this week.” He offered, watching as Connor looked at him surprised, as if Simon had just offered to buy him a mansion and accompanying luxury yacht.

“I’m no expert cook, but I can do pasta.” He added, and Connor laughed, dark eyes glittering with happiness as he hugged Simon.

“I’m no expert anything, but I’ll let you impress me regardless. I’d love to, Simon.” He said and hugged the blond, and maybe it lingered a bit longer than other times they’d done it, but Simon was too high on a giddy feeling to count seconds.

Friday rolled by, and Markus parted with little more than a ByeI’llbeatDad’s (lmao it looks like I’ll beat dad I’m 8 and this is funny) as planned. Simon had painstakingly made fresh pasta from scratch, utilizing the nice pasta press Markus’s dad had gifted them, and had then never been used. Until tonight.

With a handful of minutes left until the designated time for Connor’s arrival, Simon was fretting, running around making sure he’d cleared any clutter, even shifting small things like frames of pictures and vases of plastic flowers to look more appealing. He had to physically keep his hands from running through his carefully styled hair.

He checked himself in the mirror to make sure for about the twenty seventh time that he looked okay. He’d smoothed his hair down somewhat to make it appear more styled, though he honestly didn’t know the first thing about actually styling hair. The bitter thought of Markus probably knowing and would have been able to help if he were there passed through his head.

The ringing of the doorbell startled him out of the stall, a quick check of his phone on the way to the door telling him it was nine sharp. 

“You’re painfully on time.” Simon teased as he greeted Connor with a quick hug and let him into his home.

“I tend to be, perfectionist tendencies.” Connor replied easily, removing his jacket which Simon readily took and hung up by the other coats.

He ran a quick tour of the apartment, much of which consisted of the phrase This is my roommate’s. The closed door to Markus’s room remained glossed over.

“It’s really nice.” Connor complimented, eyeing the interior decorating.

“I take no credit.” Simon laughed, rubbing his neck self deprecatingly.

“You look really nice, too.” Connor then complimented him, in a tone and with a look that was far too flirty to be anything but flirting. Simon immediately felt his cheeks flush with warmth.

“I ah- guess I’ll take credit, a little.” Simon fumbled his words slightly, flustered. Connor smiling warmly as he ran one hand up Simon’s black-clad arm. The tight, high neck shirt had been a bit of a gamble but he was glad it paid off. “You look really nice, as always.”

“Hm, you win. Thank you.” Connor relented. 

They moved to dinner, Simon having set the table simply but neatly with a long blue and red embroidered cloth, a single potted succulent and two tea candles set in a low ceramic bowl. And of course, the food of simple pasta with some vegetables and cheeses coupled with a bottle of red wine that tasted rather good despite its’ low-end price. Hey, Simon was still a full time student.

Dinner was filled with easy chatter between the two, Simon smiling widely as Connor gave the cutest snorting laughter when he told him a story about the legendary exploits of the Jericho group.

“-and so we were hiding in a broom closet, me and North. And Josh came running in saying the night guards were on their way looking for us, so I to North we better go before things go South and she slapped me so hard I may have yelped really loudly and the guards found us.” He finished the story with a shrug. Connor was nearly falling out of his chair, clutching his middle and wiping tears from his face.

“W-what happened then?” He gasped as he regained his composure somewhat, still interrupted by the occasional giggle.

“Oh, they let us off without even a warning. Apparently many people have tried to rescue the library’s hedgehog and guinea pigs. They pooped in my hoodie, though.” He scrunched up his nose and Connor almost choked on a sip of wine.

They’d finished the food and moved onto the couch by the second hour’s passing. They still sipped wine and snacked on the leftover vegetables and cheese.

“-and that’s why even though the The Adventure Zone cartoon is amazing it will never live up to the 2010’s podcast.” Connor finished, looking seriously at Simon who’d been staring blankly at his profile for the last five minutes, at least.

“I’ll be honest, I haven’t understood a thing you said since you first mentioned a ‘d20’.” Simon smiled apologetically, Connor blowing a raspberry at him and shifting closer to poke him in the ribs.

“Why didn’t you say anything? I thought everyone would know basic DnD lingo by now.” Connor kept poking him while Simon laughed and tried to push the prodding fingers away.

“You’re cute when you’re talking about your nerd stuff! I don’t even know what a DnD is!” Simon noticed Connor stopping in his tracks and looking at him seriously.

“Never talk to me or my family ever again.” Connor spoke, completely deadpan. Simon tilted his head, raising a brow with a tentative smile. “Sorry, I’m too used to talking to my dad. He loves outdated memes way too much and I’ve been afflicted.” 

“You’re adorable.” Simon said after a soft laugh. Connor smiled in turn, not making an attempt to steal his hands back from the blond.

“I don’t have many friends, you know” Connor spoke sincerely, grabbing Simon’s full unwavering attention. “I really appreciate spending time with you, Simon.” The older man could almost get lost in the wide doe eyed look Connor gave, handsome features soft with sincerity.

“I like you a lot, Connor.” Simon said, hoping all the affection that rose in his chest at the brunette's confession came through in the words.

“I like you, too.” Connor said, almost breathless. 

The shuffle to face each other and move closer passed effortlessly, one of Simon’s hands finding its’ way into Connor’s soft, warm scented hair as they closed the distance.

Their lips pressed and brushed over one another not carefully, but with a familiarity as if this was a natural occurrence between the two. The tart tang of wine on both mouths as they parted and came together again, repeating and shifting angles for a closer, fuller press. By the time they parted with sweet, heavy breaths they’d fully embraced each other with arms locked around neck and shoulders, legs entangled.

Simon met the molten chocolate eyes of Connor as they smiled softly. And the warmth in his gut immediately fizzled into something heavy and cold as his eyes strayed to the painting hung behind Connor’s head on the far wall. Markus’ laugh and sleepy sex gazes with mismatched coloured eyes brought him firmly back onto earth.

He felt strongly for Connor, he really did, but Markus was already a stagnating rock in his life he wasn’t ready to let go off. He couldn’t make promises and give himself to Connor like this while the massive shadow of doubt remained in his mind.

Connor noticed his far away gaze and dropping mood, and Simon’s heart clenched with the look of doleful resignation that dawned on the soft brown gaze.

“I like you a lot, Connor. I really do.” He started with a weak voice, needing to swallow down something dark before he continued. “I just don’t know if I can do this right now, I’m sorry for leading you on.” No apology would feel good enough, words falling bitter from his lips as he pulled away to put distance between them. Connor let him without a fight.

“It’s okay.” The brunet whispered, and Simon felt like a kick hit his gut with the joyless smile he was given.

The blanket of sadness never left Connor’s demeanor fully even as they stayed together on the couch for some time longer. The night ended in an embrace much briefer than any they’d shared since the start of their friendship.

Simon was miserable.

 

So was Markus.

He’d noticed the downtrodden demeanor Simon carried within a minute of coming back and exchanging a short greeting with him.

He’d thought out to the words to speak, what to do to confront Simon on the feelings he’d held onto like they didn’t hurt and resolve the dying flame that had been his most genuine friendship. Just then, he second guessed and reconsidered. Simon was obviously upset, about what he couldn’t know but wasn’t so self-righteous to assume it was about him personally.

Maybe it would be better to wait, it wouldn’t do to put pressure on Simon when he was already down.

So Markus didn’t speak to him. Simon continued to hunch in on himself, eyes often locked to the floor and unhappiness pulling his face into shadow, while Markus continued to feel increasingly disheartened at the prospect of talking to him about it.

Simon noticed Markus glancing at him every once in a while when they occupied the same space. He wondered if his sour mood was pulling Markus down, too. He should speak up and let him know it was nothing but a love issue. But bringing that word up felt so close to the conversation he knew he had to have with the man.

Twenty days passed by with nary a word between them asides from the obligatory hello, goodbye and there’s a letter for you. 

Markus continued to open the chatting app and looking at Connor’s profile every once in a while. He started typing a message of reconciliation a couple times, then stopped and closed it down. Connor wasn’t reaching out to him, out of respect for leaving him space as he’d assured, but Markus still had an inkling wonder if he wouldn’t be bothering the brunet by barging into his life anew. He drank disgusting coffee from a new coffee shop that didn’t actually have anything he liked, but he couldn’t bare the possibility to meet Connor face to face while he didn’t even have the guts to speak to him through text or to his own goddamned best friend.

Simon talked to Connor every few days, checking in on how he was doing, asking about work or his home, feeling the pit in his stomach grow deeper each time he turned down an offer for a friendly meet up. Until Connor stopped asking entirely.

North had enough just about three decades ago when Simon and Markus hadn’t shown up for Jericho the fifth time in a row. She’d baited them into meeting with just her alone or with Josh to hang out a couple times, in which they’d been so painfully avoidant of each other she wanted to punch them both so badly her knuckles itched.

She dropped them both an invite to meet her at her home, a one room student apartment near campus while Chloe was at her own place for once. She tapped her foot angrily as she waited for Markus by the bus station, Simon having the instruction to go directly to her home fifteen minutes later.

The moment Markus stepped off and greeted her happily while looking sleep deprived and worn out like he had for the last good month or so, she bit out a Hi, hugged him too tight and practically dragged him behind her to her home.

She slammed the door and pushed Markus into the hallway wall by his chest once inside.

“Hey!” Markus protested, being pinned by the front of his shirt by an angry five foot six strawberry blonde who got in his face with all the intimidation as if she wasn’t on tippy toes to do so.

“What the fuck did I say, Markus.” She said, voice perfectly level even as she glared daggers.

“I don’t know?” He tried, stopping when she shoved him even more firmly into the unrelenting surface behind him.

“I said if you hurt Simon, I’d kill you.”

“Oh.” He meeped. 

“Oh.” She returned. The doorbell rang, and she released him.

“North, if that’s-” Markus was swiftly shushed as North tore the door open to reveal Simon, who looked just as shocked as he felt over meeting one another there.

“I-” Simon started, before North practically threw him inside and slammed the door shut.

“No. Go, sit.” North snapped her fingers and pointed meaningfully at her bed, which was the only available sitting place in lieu of a living room or proper kitchen aside from a stove and sink shoved into a corner. 

Under her scrutinizing, hard look neither argued and seated themselves far apart on her bed.

She grabbed a pillow and sat on the floor facing them both. Even from there, she managed to be intimidating.

“You two are talking about whatever the hell has been happening, and I’m not letting you leave until you do.” She stated firmly. Both Simon and Markus exchanged uncertain glances, looking pleadingly to North who remained firm as stone on the subject.

“I’ve lost my fucking winning streak in Jericho being worried about you two asses, I don’t care what the fuck happened to get you both acting like some fucking tragedy story took over both of your lives, but now I have to kill you both because obviously whatever you’ve done you’re both fucking miserable!” 

North hugged her pillow harshly, huffing angrily as she diverted her gaze off to a blank space.

“North, I’m sorry I made you worry, it’s-” Simon started, being interrupted by Markus.

“No, no it’s all my fault that this thing started, I’m sorry.” He wasn’t looking at either of them, making the blond guess it wasn’t directed solely at their mutual friend.

“I noticed you were upset, and I didn’t do anything even though I wanted to. If anything, that makes it my responsibility.” Simon affirmed, Markus looking at him with disbelief and turning his whole body to face him for the first time in so long Simon couldn’t recall exactly when it last happened.

North watched in near disbelief from the floor. 

“I was only upset because I wanted to talk to you but was too much of a coward to, and then you became sad too and I didn’t even have the balls to say anything then either!”

She facepalmed with both hands. She should have trapped them in her apartment about three hundred years ago.

“Well, I didn’t want to burden you with my feelings.” Simon trailed off, uncertainty grappling for dominance as his face flushed.

“What- what, feelings?” Markus stumbled as he asked, looking at Simon with soft eyes and jaw slack in disbelief. Simon’s heart fluttered when a bronze hand gripped his knee for stability.

“Okay! I’m not leaving my apartment so you two can get freaky with reunion banging in _my_ bed, thanks for coming to your own Ted Talk!” North interrupted, ushering them both up and out.

She stopped to embrace one idiot with each arm and she pressed them together.

“I love both of you idiots, go be stupid somewhere else.” She smiled widely as she shut the door on them. That was easy.

The two idiots had a pause outside the door that was just slammed in their faces, turning to look at each other again before the tension finally fizzled out and they laughed. 

“Let’s go back home and continue this?” Simon suggested, readily being supported by Markus.

As they stood on the bus back towards their home, Markus gave into the digging need and took Simon’s hand. The blond’s face flared red as he hid a smile in his high collared sweatshirt.

 

“I can’t believe I’ve been this dense all along.” Markus said, laid out alongside Simon on the painter’s room’s floor where they’d flopped down after arriving home.

“I can believe that you’re dense, I’m more surprised with myself.” Simon snarked and dodged a pinch aimed at his arm with a laugh. Markus rolled onto his front, supported on his elbows as he looked down at Simon, smile fading into a sober look.

“Seriously, I freaked out so hard on my date just because I was faced with the possibility of closing you out of my life, and I still didn’t realise what that meant.” His voice grew softer, as Simon felt heat growing beneath the skin on his face.

“Since we’re being open about feelings now... what does it mean, Markus?” 

The corner of Markus’s lips curled up, eyes smiling warmly as he leaned over the blond, noses brushing.

“It means I’m pretty sure I love you, idiot.” He muttered with as much affection as he could fit in his already full chest, spilling over with affection as their lips met in long, lingering kisses.

Simon made a small whining noise, hands moving up to cup the back of Markus’s short haired head to ground himself and made sure the contact lasted.

They didn’t pull away from the repeated brushing of kiss swollen lips until they were both short on breath and high on good feelings. Simon’s eyes glowed like winter skies in the low light when Markus lingered and took him in.

“I love you, too.” Simon said in a tender whisper.

They kept kissing, eventually moving onto the bed where the barrier of clothing disappeared until their naked skin pressed together.

**Here there be (soft) porn**

Lazy, unhurried movements led them to having Simon leaning back against the headboard softened by pillows shoved under his back, Markus over him. They kept clashing with tongues and hints of teeth on abused skin of lips and necks, as Markus cupped their flushed rigid cocks together in his hands, sliding warm and wetly together in the channel of skin.

Soft murmurs of affection exchanged between the wet noises of their lips parting and meeting again. Movements growing hungrier as they neared their fever pitch, wanton noises spilling out as they spilled together.

**Here ends (soft) porn**

They shifted into a comfortable sleeping position where Simon made himself smaller in order to nuzzle into Markus neck and shoulder, lips pressed softly to the bruised skin of his well-loved neck.

“I missed you.” The blond murmured quietly, eyes closed with sleep creeping ever closer. Markus returned the sleepy sentiment, pulling the duvet over the two and settling in, arm wrapped to hold his lover close in the night.

 

“I can’t believe how long it took you to finally admit it.” Josh grinned widely, delighted at the news while Simon and Markus groaned, embarrassed at their lovers-in-denial antics being out in the open for everyone to judge. The Jericho crew were once again in full force, North shoving fries in her mouth angrily as she slapped her hand on the table. 

“Hey I take full credit, this boat is only floating because of me!” She melted a bit when Chloe leaned over from her own seat and kissed her cheek in solidarity.

“And we’re grateful North, really.” Markus relented, Simon nodding along beside him. “When we make those t-shirts, I’ll make sure you get 10% of the sales reimbursements.” Simon pinched him.

“69% percent at the least, bitch.” North grinned.

She ran out of fries, and the party decided they needed more than just bar snacks to finish off the night. There was a magical thing called pizza that called all of their names.

 

“So, I may have kind of fucked this guy, freaked the hell out when he expressed interest in being more than just a lay or friends with benefits,” Markus gestured with a slice of pizza as he retold his story, the party having claimed a booth at the local greasy but so good pizzeria. “- because I thought I wasn’t ready for commitment but also I was totally thinking even if I was in denial that if I got serious with that guy then I’d have to end the whole arrangement thing with Si- hey!” He protested but didn’t resist when Simon caught his hand mid gesture and took a bite out of the gooey cheese and pineapple pizza.

“So you walked out on him?” The blond asked cheerily after swallowing.

“Um. Yeah. I still feel super shitty about it to be honest.” Markus grumbled, leaning into Simon who patted his opposite shoulder.

“It does sound like a pretty shitty move.” Chloe gave a rare comment, nibbling on the last crust of her pizza that she shared with North who was working on her own second pie.

“Did you apologize?” Josh tuned in, forking up the last of his salad from the otherwise emptied hamburger platter.

“Not well enough, and not in person.” Markus admitted, brow pinching as Connor’s hurt eyes when he retreated leaped back into his mind. “I doubt he’d even want to be friends with me anymore after that, but I should meet him in person again and apologize properly.” Simon hummed next to him.

“I got really close to the guy I was seeing while we had our whole thing going on. I actually ended up on a pretty serious date with him, we kissed and all but I stopped it there because it didn’t feel right to commit to someone when I wasn’t sure what was happening with you.” He recounted shortly, feeling Markus curious gaze.

“Really? You didn’t tell me that.” 

“Well, I didn’t feel like it was relevant at the time.” Simon diverted his gaze, a small spike of shame pricking his chest. 

“It’s okay, it would be hypocritical of me to be mad about that.” Markus assured, and Simon smiled gratefully, if not unbothered by the lingering thoughts of Connor whom he hadn’t talked to for a good week.

“Oh, hello Connor!”

Both Markus and Simon looked up in alarm at Chloe, who was smiling and waving towards the entrance of the pizzeria behind them.

“Hi Chloe!” Came the reply from a voice that had Markus stomach falling out of his ass, while Simon’s eyebrows shot up into his hairline. They both whipped around to see their acquainted cute barista, whose smile morphed into a look of surprise at seeing them. “And Simon. And Markus?” He raised a brow.

Markus proceeded to open and close his mouth like a fish out of water while Simon blinked slow and hard several times to ensure he was awake.

“I didn’t know you two knew each other.” Connor commented just as the silence was getting uncomfortable.

“You… know Markus?” Simon squeaked out.

“In a way.” Connor said, a meaningful look crossing his face as he glanced Markus’s way again, crossing his arms. North’s face lit up with malicious glee as she started putting numbers together.

“Wait, Markus, is he the one you-? And Simon, too!”

“End me. Right now.” Markus begged, directed at the ceiling as he sunk into the seat just a bit further.

“Oh my fucking god this is too good!” North clapped her hands, Chloe attempting to calm her by taking them into her own though the amber blonde was practically full body vibrating. “Only you two could end up in this situation. Holy shit.”

“...Is she okay?” Connor asked with concern as North started cackling so hard the pizzeria’s owner stuck their head out to investigate the commotion.

“I think we should talk. In private.” Simon started, dragging Markus up with him from their seats and offering a pleading look to Connor, who shrugged but agreed. The sounds of North wheezing followed their three way walk of shame to privacy.

Locking the door to the relatively clean one person restroom, Simon turned around to face the two other occupants. Connor was fidgeting with a lose thread on the sleeve of his slightly-too-big coat, while Markus gaze slowly left the floor to meet Simon, expression practically screaming _Do Not Want._

“So..” Simon started, only realizing moments after that he didn’t have even the beginning of a sentence to follow it up with.

“Are you two together?” Connor suddenly asked, still focused on the lose thread that was fraying more by the minute, a small furrow of confusion between his brows.

“Ah- Um- Well, yes.” Simon was the first to answer. Connor looked up at him with a hurt frown.

“And, were you both cheating on each other or what was that all about?” 

Both Simon and Markus sputtered.

“No! Why would you think that!?” Markus finally broke his silence, exasperated.

“Well, I’ve been on dates with you both. I slept with you, and almost not really but kind of you too.” Connor gestured first to Markus whose dusky skin tone didn’t hide his flush completely, then to Simon who just looked ashamed. “Then you both sort of dropped communicating for reasons I never quite understood, and now I stumble on you both here. I don’t understand.” He finished.

“We didn’t make our relationship official until a short while ago.” Markus muttered, hiding half his face behind his hand as he rubbed at his temples. “And, for the record. I’m really sorry.” He did meet Connor’s eyes to apologize. The brunet softened somewhat at that. Simon gently interjected again.

“I feel like, maybe we’ve got more to talk about that deserves a better place than this.” The blond kicked off a paper towel that clung to his shoe with a grimace. Connor and Markus agreed. 

They agreed to find another time and place to talk their situation through properly, as Connor was on his way back home with his dad. North, Chloe and Josh were not subtle at all in their staring as the trio returned, blinking curiously. Markus shoved Josh’s shoulder as he ooh’d when Connor parted with a “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Connor! What the fuck where you doing?” A greyed middle aged man grumbled as Connor entered the front of the pizzeria again, a plastic bag filled with take out clasped in one hand.

“Language, dad. I was busy.” Connor chided happily, before the door bell chimed and their voices disappeared out in the chilly autumn night.

North received a shove from Markus when she snorted very loudly.

 

Arriving at the familiar door had Connor’s gut fluttering with nerves. The last time he’d been at this apartment, he had a very good time with Simon, before being turned down for the second time in a very short amount of time. His pride had definitely taken a blow, though he didn’t blame Simon or Markus in the slightest. 

Hank had been concerned with his visibly down trodden mood during the last couple weeks, then confused and frowning wondering at him after the encounter at the pizza place yesterday night. The old Lieutenant tried piecing the puzzle together, but Connor wasn’t quite ready to talk to him about the whole affair before it was settled.

Speaking of which, he finally gathered himself and pressed the door buzzer. He waited a number of seconds, hearing no sound form inside. Frowning, he buzzed it again, holding the button just a bit longer than necessary.

“Jesus, Okay!” Came Markus voice from the other side before the lock clicked open and the painter swung the door open. “Sorry, we have a tiny emergency going on in the kitchen.”

Connor couldn’t help but let out a tiny laugh, as much was apparent by the odd eyed man’s form fitting asymmetrical shirt, the grey fabric largely stained with orangey-red sauce at the bottom right and the top of his jeans. 

“Did you get distracted by Simon in the kitchen, by any chance?” Connor teased, hanging his coat up as Markus motioned him inside, ears tinting red.

“You know too much.” The green and blue eyed man grumbled conspiratorially.

Simon was crouched down on the floor when they entered the kitchen, surrounded by dirtied rags and paper towels. He mopped up some stray flecks of sauce that thoroughly covered the stove top and had splashed onto the counter beside, a mostly empty pot containing the sad remains of the spilled pasta sauce perched on top of another stack of paper towels.

The blond looked sheepish as Connor snickered, Markus elbowing the brunet who apologized before offering to help, then promptly ignoring the duo’s polite refusal and did so anyway.

“So, we had planned to feed you some nice dinner while we talk but, um. Things got in the way.” Simon threw a small accusatory glare towards Markus.

“Hey, you’re the one who _made_ me flip it over when you grabbed my-” A pale hand slapped over Markus’ mouth as Simon moved faster than either of the others’ had ever seen him do before, shushing the smiling man while glaring with rosy cheeks. Connor smiled at the exchange.

“That’s very nice of you, but it’s not necessary.” The brunet was met with two unamused stares.

“I’ll turn on the oven. Markus, get the frozen pizza.” Simon directed his boyfriend who obeyed. Willing or not, Connor was not allowed to not be spoiled, apparently.

They started The Conversation while the oven heated and the cheesy, bready food cooked. Simon and Markus took turns telling their sides of the story, then interjecting while the other told theirs to add details or reactions missing. By the time they’d gone through the whole ordeal, Connor was left nibbling on the last crust of entirely okay tasting meal while curled up on the love seat across from the other two who now turned to him expectantly.

“So let me get this straight. You were totally into each other and already sleeping together when you both met me and started seeing me within a couple days.” Connor thought out loud, seeing the sheepish nods of confirmation as answer. “Then, you both lost at gay chicken and started feeling guilty about dating me, as well as fucking each other, until you finally pulled your heads out of your asses after a way too long time.”

“Have you been talking to North?” Markus squinted.

“No, but I see what’s so funny now.” Connor smiled widely, mischief twinkling in his eyes. “I’m not mad, I got game.” Simon’s lips twitched into a small smirk while he rolled his eyes, exasperated. Markus just groaned. 

“Please, never say that or anything like it ever again.” The painter whined, tipping over to lean on Simon who patted his back comfortingly.

“I can’t really blame us either, you’re still very cute.” Simon beamed like the angel he honestly wasn’t because the moment Connor’s face coloured cherry red Markus could see the mischievous glint in those baby blue eyes.

“Yeah, Connor. Come to think about it, you were fully coming onto me and then Simon not long after. How’s that for the whole innocent, cute twink persona?” Markus jumped on the opportunity. Connor made a distinct _ugh_ sound though didn’t take offense while he covered his eyes with both hands.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m a thirsty gay thot, sue me.” Connor huffed, glaring from between his fingers with no heat behind it. 

There was a pause where Simon caught Markus’ gaze, Connor catching onto the fact that they were obviously communicating silently what with Markus’ sudden sheepish look and shrug. 

“We had a question for you, actually.” Simon brought the brunet’s attention back to him, as he set his weight down next to Connor or on the love seat.

“Um, ok. That’s only fair, I suppose.” Connor replied, feeling the dip behind him when Markus slid in to set himself behind him. Oh. Is this how he gets murdered? Because fair.

Markus had a lovely flush to his complexion as the brunet glanced at him over his shoulder, bringing back memories of flashing lights, smoke shared between lips and warm touches. He might have just shuddered. He hoped they hadn’t noticed.

“See, we were thinking-” Markus hummed, inching only so much closed that Connor felt the slightest whisper of his chest against his back, the heat of his body bleeding through already.

“-We may not have intended to pursue you both at once,” Simon’s hand landed warm on Connor’s knee, so gentle the touch could have tickled if Connor wasn’t completely enraptured by Simon’s bedroom eyes looking at him with so much warmth he felt the need to lean in. Wait, was he leaning in or was that Simon coming closer?

“, but we don’t exactly mind that we did either.” Markus touched his flank and Connor subtly pinched his own forearm to make sure this wasn’t a very good dream.

“In fact, what we wanted to ask is, if you’re not opposed to it-” Simon continued, but Connor felt fingers under his chin, which directed him back towards Markus’ intensely coloured eyes, facial expression soft and very inviting. His gay increased by 20%.

“Would you like to continue seeing us, like this?” Came the final offer, pouring from Markus lips in that soft voice that made Connor shiver. He actually pinched his forearm this time, having to make sure it was real because if he woke up with a semi now he’d actually cry.

“Nnf.” Was the articulate reply that left the brunet’s lips. Oh wait, was he supposed to use his facial muscles?

“I think we broke him.” Markus commented, sultriness of the previous moment starting to fade as Connor re-remember how to human. He rapidly clawed back the moment, mentally.

“Fuck yes- I mean! I would like to try that. Yes. Please.” He blurted out so fast Eminem’s career instantly ended. Connor shook his head to shake off his dumbfounded surprise and regain some form of composure, making both Markus and Simon laugh softly, a small snort escaping the disaster himself.

“You’re adorable.” Simon or Markus said, because Connor officially short circuited when someone’s lips was at his jaw and another’s nose pressed into his neck while arms closed all around him. He curled his legs up slightly, happily settling into the embrace.

 

Three young men in their twenties sharing an entirely okayly spacious apartment, each with their own ambition and occupations varying from the artistic, to the nurturing, to the coffee slinging and resting steadily on perfectly acceptable finances might sound great.

And honestly, it was.

Connor watches cartoons at five thirty in the morning then goes back to sleep before work, Simon usually gets up in time to catch him humming along to the end theme of Adventure Time and catches the first kiss of the day before the brunet shuffles back into bed. 

Simon’s old room was now more of a makeshift study, cluttered with Markus’ art supplies, walls covered in pictures of the three residents and dogs. Their bedroom held both of Markus and Simon’s beds pushed together to form a faux king, big enough for all three to sprawl comfortably or curl up into a pile, as the case mostly was. 

Markus usually catches the second kiss as Connor comes shuffling back in, taking Simon’s still warmed up spot and tucking himself up to the artist’s sleep warm and soft body.

The third kiss was usually when Simon came back from his classes or jobs, Markus would pout if Simon didn’t immediately come to him for a good smooch. And of course, the moment Connor came back from work he’d be attacked by two clingy boyfriends, even more so if he’d been gone to his dad’s place for a day or two.

Such was the case this Winter night, where candles were lit around the living room for a cozy atmosphere and the boys bundled up a bit more to fight off the slight draft that crept in from the windows and balcony. And cuddled. That wasn’t unusual and would happen no matter the weather, but it was worth to note because someone said so.

“You don’t enjoy being a barista?” Markus asked, looking almost shocked across the coffee table to Connor and Simon who were reclined with the brunet’s back against the side in the other love seat. In his mind there was no better view than Connor with his uniform, smiling while mixing drinks with the scent of freshly made coffee around him.

“Oh, baby, honey, sweetie.” Connor started, hugging Simon’s arms tighter around himself as he went off on a tangent.

“You guys probably think it’s all cutesy standing behind a counter with a smile taking and making orders all smoothly but that’s because you’ve never worked with serving customers. Do you know how many people _a day_ come into Archer’s and try to order a frappuccino and pay with their BarShucks app only to get upset at me when I can’t do either of those? We don’t even have frappuccinos! The logo is literally Archer’s! It doesn’t look even slightly like BarShucks! And don’t get me started on actually working at BarShucks the customers there are actually some of the _worst_ \- Mff!”

And that’s how Simon discovered the best course of action to both distract Connor from frustration and shut him up, by taking Connor’s face between his hands and planting his mouth over the brunet’s. Markus felt a stir of heat watching like a hawk as his two boyfriends moved their lips together. 

When Simon parted from the kiss, Connor followed the movement with half-mast, starry eyes. The second kiss had Markus moving over and taking up his seat behind Simon, pressing in close and running his hands around the sides of his torso to move to his chest. The blond gave a soft hum of approval and pushed his tongue into Connor’s mouth.

**Here there be porn**

Connor’s back hit the bed as Simon lost his balance and fell on top of him due to Markus gently shoving them both forward.

No pause was given as Simon quickly reattached his lips firmly to Connor’s, hands sliding his shirt up to his armpits while his hips pressed him down into the mattress, yielding a happy mewl from the brunet. Markus took the opportunity to divest himself of his clothing while the other two entertained themselves.

Once Markus joined the other two on the bed, he helpfully tugged Simon’s yoga pants (and bless those yoga pants. Bless the butt they normally contained even more.) down his thighs and snapped the hem of his underwear with a finger, gaining a Hmph.

Connor whined when Simon parted from him to properly take his clothing off, making Markus roll his eyes with a smile. As Simon grabbed the hem of his own shirt and started pulling it up, he glanced at Markus with a playful spark to the sky blue eyes. 

Markus took Simon’s place looming over Connor as soon as the head of pale hair started moving downwards. Connor blinked lazily at the freckled artist when he cupped his face, pecking the side of his mouth and stroking tenderly along his cheekbones.

The moment Simon lowered Connor’s trousers and placed his lips against his hip and blew air against it in a raspberry, Connor squealed and squirmed away from the hold.

“Traitor! I trusted you!” Connor cried out, laughing and wiggling away from where Markus joined in, tickling his sides.

“Sorry Connor, I’ve deviated to the dark side.” Markus let up as Simon let Connor squirm out of his grip to lay panting on his side.

“That’s fine, I’m not against fraternizing with the enemy.” Connor quipped when he regained some composure, skin flushed and hair fluffed up already.

“Hmm. How do you want us then?” Simon asked, voice low and smooth. He lingered down at level with Connor’s hips, looking meaningfully up at the brown eyes meeting his.

“I think I like this just fine, if you’d kindly continue without the tickles.” Connor tried for sass but was fast biting his lip and looking all too eager when Simon slid the sweatpants borrowed from Markus down along with his underwear. His eyelids fluttered when lips met his hipbone in a kiss that started a trail leading slowly downwards.

Markus helped tug the graphic tee up over Connor’s head, a flash of heat in his belly when Connor halted the motion before the fabric could pull off of his wrists and instead held it there. The brunet’s eyes were dark with want when Markus obligingly twisted the clothing enough that Connor’s wrists were restrained, but nowhere near trapped should he want to tug himself free. 

There was no need to look down to see what Simon was doing as Connor’s lips parted into an o and his hips twitched up in an aborted thrust. Slick noises filled the room along as Simon licked and sucked teasingly at Connor’s dick, while Markus busied himself with his lips on the soon to be bruised neck and hands on the pale freckled chest, kneading the softly defined pectorals and brushing over perking nipples.

Connor panted breathlessly at the dual attentions, happier than ever with the two hot men he’d befriended and _befriended_ over the last months. 

“Fuck, Simon. Fingers, please.” Connor whined, Simon pulling away from his erect dick with a chuckle. Markus’ attempt at raising his head to look after the blond who moved away to find lube was interrupted as Connor pulled free from the restraints and tugged him back for a kiss that was fully just tongue fucking, a hand sneaking down to tug wantonly at Markus’ cock.

Simon came back into their bedroom only minutes later, having had to search for a bit before the misplaced bottle of vanilla flavoured lube was found, between the couch cushions from an escapade days earlier.

Markus sat at the bed’s edge with Connor straddling his lap, bronze hands kneading at the perky butt of the brunet, the fading bruise in the shape of a bite mark on the right cheek. The wet sounds of their kissing paused as Simon made himself known, stroking his hands over Connor’s back and leaning over his shoulder to peck Markus’ lips.

Guided by Simon pushing the other men down and shuffling up the bedding, they ended up with Markus on his back, Connor on his elbows and knees above with ass raised perfectly for Simon who knelt behind him. Connor moaned as Simon’s three fingers spread inside his lubed up hole, muffled again when Markus dove tongue first into his parted mouth.

Simon rewarded the barista’s quasi-patience as the tight muscles clamped down on his fingers when he curled them up, open mouthed kisses pressing on the small of his back.

Markus felt Connor’s cock twitch against his as Simon put his own bite mark on the left side of Connor’s ass, a smirk pulling at his lips when Connor hissed and ground against his hip.

“Stop teasing me.” Connor complained with a pout, voice husky with arousal but squeaking when a tongue teased over his stretched hole, fingers pulling out of him with a wet squelch.

“Gladly.” Simon replied, coming on his knees to press his hips to Connor’s backside, cock settling hot and heavy between his ass cheeks. 

“We’re gonna wreck you so good, baby.” Markus rumbled into Connor’s ear, cupping his hips and holding him steady while Simon slicked up his own dick. “Do you want that?” Connor shivered at the heated words, closing his eyes and nodding eagerly, pressing back more firmly against Simon’s skin.

“Hah!” Connor moaned sharply when Markus sucked his earlobe between his lips at the same moment Simon’s cock kissed his hole and pressed in smoothly. His skin flushed darker in his face and chest as he keened happily when Simon bottomed out with a groan.

“Good boy.” The blond panted, his hands taking Markus’ place on his hips, short circling motions with his hips making Connor shudder. 

Markus met Connor’s almost black eyes as peeked from between his lashes, expression loose and dreamy. He slid his hand between them to cup the cock curving towards his stomach, gripping properly for a stroke timed perfectly with Simon’s first pull and push back into the heat of Connor’s clenching walls.

Simon set the pace long and deep, feeling the wet heat around him protest his pulls out until he nearly left the plush rim completely, only to spasm happily as he bottomed out with a slap of his hips against Connor’s backside.

The mantra of punched out moans muffled whenever Markus pulled Connor’s lips to his, then when the brunet bent to suck a dusky nipple between his abused, kiss swollen lips to a murmur of approval from Markus. 

A bronzed hand slick with lube helped Connor’s between them, pressing their firm hot dicks together. Simon pressed himself all the way in and held there when the end threatened to come too early, and leaned over Connor’s freckled back to slide his tongue into Markus’ pliant mouth.

Connor rested for the short moment the stillness lasted, feeling Simon throb inside him and Markus alongside his own cock, drooling slightly where his cheek and lips pressed into Markus’ well loved chest, feeling the firm contours of the musculature found there. He stole the nearly depleted tube of lube to slick his and Markus’ dicks up further, both hands cupping around them and urging them both on with a whine.

Simon chuckled huskily as he let Markus’ abused lip go from between his teeth, keeping his chest curved close to Connor’s back as he pulled his cock halfway out of the fluttering channel.

“You want this?” He questioned playfully and thrust his hips forwards again, the angle teasing Connor’s swollen prostate in a mean jab that punched a yowl out of the brunet.

“Fuck, yes.” Connor breathed out.. Markus hummed agreeing when the motion had his dick sliding smoothly alongside Connor’s in the tightening grip around their cocks.

Connor’s ass clamped down rhythmically around Simon’s cock pushing and pulling rapidly like a piston. Markus tensed up as he started thrusting up in short jabs against Connor’s and his joined grip, cock pulsing as he breathed harshly, arching up towards where Connor muffled his own sounds against sun kissed skin. 

Simon sped up to his max as his belly tightened rapidly, praising both of his lovers who quivered beneath him. 

Markus finally let the coil burst, throwing his head back on a bit out moan and spilling his seed slick in the channel his hand made alongside Connor’s. Connor cried out when Simon’s cock inside him brushed his prostate repeatedly, being pressed down firmly into the mess of Markus’ stomach as Simon ground down against him in his own release. The hot rush of cum inside him the final push to his own release that crashed over him in waves.

They slumped into a sweaty heap, Markus trapped uselessly under the weight of his two lovers. Connor still twitched with aftershocks after the dual sensation of both internal and external stimulation, squished between the older two before Simon gently pulled out and flopped aside onto the bed’s sweat slicked sheets.

**Here ends porn**

“I think my brain short circuited.” Markus said as he regained his breath. Simon laughed softly and helped him guide the boneless Connor onto his back between them.

“I think we broke Connor. Again.” Simon stated fondly, pressing soft kisses to the sweaty forehead where brown curls stuck. Connor agreed with a minuscule nod, eyes remaining closed and breath heavy.

Markus smiled into the kiss that he pressed into Connor’s cheek. As he learned how to human again, Connor grinned all doped up on happiness as his lovers squished him between their affectionate kisses.

When they asked him if he wanted to move in, he deadpan stated that he’d been there for six weeks straight already and they’d have to kick him out to leave.

It was honestly, pretty good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lord save us from cute idiots who semi-kinda-don't know how to feelings. Relatable, though.
> 
> I just wrote the fic I wanted to read and I'm not remotely sorry. Mistakes are prolly all over the place proof reading is def not my strong suit. Hopefully it was enjoyable anyway!  
> Thanks for sticking with me through whatever this was, smooches on you!

**Author's Note:**

> Some Useless trivia; Just the outline I wrote out as a premise to the entire thing was 1k long that's usually the length of things I write before I run out of steam to continue holy gay
> 
> I also haven't written phucky stuff in YEARS (we're NOT acknowledging the stuff I wrote like 10 years ago ever Thanks) and even though I read A LOT of E rated fics meself I'm ace and hav no idea what I'm writing about so if it is suck I Shrug
> 
> and finally SHOUTOUT TO THE JERICHO CHAT ON BRYAN'S DISCORD WHO HATED ON MY NAMING OF NORTH X CHLOE CLORTH IS NOW IMMORTALIZED HOW'S THAT <3 <3


End file.
